Oasis
by canada4ever
Summary: Troy is the devastatingly handsome, brilliant but cocky bartender who is working towards his MBA. Gabriella is the beautiful, intelligent and snotty daughter of a wealthy businessman and is used to getting her way. Will pride or passion win?
1. Chapter 1

Troy Bolton opened the door to his small South Beach apartment, just having finished his morning run

Chapter 1

Troy Bolton opened the door to his small South Beach apartment, just having finished his morning run. He stripped off his t-shirt, drenched with the moisture of his body and let it drop to the floor. He felt the light ocean breeze from the open patio door cooling his bare skin, so he stepped out onto the balcony to survey the scene below. Joggers and dog walkers made their way down the beach path where he had just been running. Coffee shop owners were setting out chairs on the sidewalk and letting in customers, desperate for their daily caffeine high. It was still too early for retail shops to be opening. Troy had a couple of hours to study before he would be off to work himself.

He had moved to Miami 2 years ago to complete his "working MBA." While he had been in undergraduate school in Boston doing his business degree, he had started working as a bartender to pay for extra expenses. Always being the top of his class with a perfect average had afforded him a Dean's scholarship, but he had a penchant for some luxury items and he had discovered bartending could provide a pretty lucrative income if you were good.

He wasn't just good; he was a total natural at it. His memory was perfect so he had no problem quickly memorizing the recipes for any known drink. He also had an amazing flair for pouring and mixing. Watching him work was like watching Picasso paint or Beethoven compose. It was so much an art form in his capable hands that he could easily make a career out of bartending. To top it off, he was incredibly smooth with the bar patrons, particularly the women. He could take the tension out of anyone's day just by flashing his million dollar smile and striking up an easy conversation. Within an hour of opening, the bar would be crowded with people drawn to Troy's magnetic personality and the thrill of watching him mix drinks. The bonus for the women was that he was drop dead fucking gorgeous. There was no way any warm blooded female couldn't fall under the spell of his mesmerizing azure blue eyes. His arms, which he often showed off with tight fitting t-shirts, were sculpted like Michelangelo's "David" and left every woman wondering if the rest of his anatomy was just as chiseled as that famous, perfect sculpture. Troy knew how to use every aspect of himself, both his looks and his charisma, to keep the tips and customers rolling in.

At the end of every shift, he usually had several propositions to choose from. Troy wasn't exactly a player but he certainly got enough "no strings attached" sex to keep him satisfied. Troy had much more of a playboy persona than was actual reality, but this only served to bring in more patrons to the bar, both male and female, so he kept it up. Women couldn't wait to see the legendary Troy Bolton for themselves and guys just wanted to observe how he operated, like they were taking lessons. Truth be told, although Troy could count on a few steamy sexual encounters a week, his studies were also important to him so many evenings he turned down offers so he could go home and hit the books or be able to turn in earlier so he could study in the morning. He graduated with his business degree summa cum laude, something that most of his bar customers would never have suspected.

Troy had moved to Miami after finishing his undergrad degree because he knew the bar scene was hopping and he could earn easy money while finishing his MBA. Troy's business sense was uncanny and he knew he was destined for greatness in the financial world. His business intelligence went way beyond book knowledge. He could have taken a scholarship and completed his MBA via the academic route, but he felt the experience he gained and the connections he made while working and completing his masters were more beneficial. He had saved up a good sum of money which he hoped to invest in the bar he was currently employed at: The Oasis. Plus, he was still enjoying the fringe benefits of bartending and hooking up with as many women that he wanted. Troy knew how to give women pleasure and any woman who had been with him came back wanting more. To keep himself focused on his future, Troy traditionally avoided repeat encounters. He didn't have time for the hassles of a relationship and he felt if he had sex with a woman more than once, it would give her an expectation that he wasn't prepared to fulfill. He was a one night stand guy and he intended to keep it that way. This kept his personal life compartmentalized and uncomplicated.

Troy Bolton was brilliant, devastatingly handsome, and cocky as hell and had the world at his feet. So he thought. Troy's perfectly self-controlled world was about to be rocked.

Gabriella Montez eyes fluttered open with the stirring in the bed next to her. Frustrated that his movement had interrupted a perfectly good erotic dream, she slid out of bed and put on her silk robe. Before leaving the bedroom, she looked back at the object of her latest sexual encounter and sighed. Hot body, nice cheekbones, great hair but God, dumb as hell. How come these young rich heirs were never smart? Well, she knew the reason to that one. Most of these men had everything given to them without having to work. Why waste time in school when you can just spend dad's money and still have millions in the bank? For Gabriella Montez, growing up as a wealthy heiress definitely had its benefits and the lifestyle had affected her, for sure.

The public saw her as a rich, spoiled woman who pushed her attitude around to get her way, showing little regard for the feelings of others. When it came to men, she had a long string of conquests in her wake. Most had been wealthy, good looking sons of her father's business associates. Only a couple of times had she strayed from the stereotype; once with an extremely hot restaurant valet who she had fucked in the front seat before he parked her car and once with a tattoo artist who she had visited to ink the tiniest rose on her inner thigh. She had found the experience extremely erotic and pulled him into the back of the tattoo studio and given him the ride of his life. These two experiences were exhilarating for her because they were outside the box and touched her passionate side more than any other encounters ever had.

Her biggest secret though was that she had a love for literature and writing. Despite her position in life and the fact that she never would really need to work, she wasn't satisfied living off her father's earnings. She had attended a small private university where her name was unknown and majored in romantic literature, graduating top of her class. She had the utmost respect for higher education and hoped that someday she might be able to put her brains to use. In addition, being around high rollers most of her life and absorbing what she could from her father's conversations, she had acquired a pretty keen business sense as well. But for now, she was living the life that was expected from her breeding, carefree and self indulgent. No one would have suspected the intellect that was hidden beneath the Gucci clothes and Cartier jewels.

Of course, she was stunningly gorgeous. Her tanned olive skin was complimented by thick, wavy black hair that she either wore cascading down her shoulders and back or in messy updos. Her makeup was always light, never overdone. Her long lashes only needed a hint of mascara and the faintest gloss was all that her full lips required. Her body was toned and fit from daily yoga sessions. She had never succumbed to the temptation of plastic surgery to enhance her breasts as so many of her peers had done. She liked being on the slightly smaller side as she could easily go without wearing a bra and have it not be distasteful. This allowed to her wear backless dresses and tops without worry and she was proud to show off her strong sculpted back. Her beauty was exotic and natural but her sexuality still radiated off her and made every man in the room want her to be in his bed. She had always had her choice of men and although she wouldn't have minded the occasional stimulating conversation, the hot blooded, hot assed guys she hung out with and took home for the night weren't offering her that. So, for now, she was enjoying the ride.

Gabriella stepped out onto the expansive patio of her penthouse and looked out over the ocean. She breathed deeply and drank in the warmth of the sun on her face. The freshness of the air invigorated her and she gathered strength for what she would have to do next: kick the guy who she had thoroughly fucked last night out of her bed. She didn't want him there any longer and she needed to get on with her day. She didn't even want him there for breakfast. No sense wasting any more of her morning on a guy she wouldn't have anything further to do with.

Gabriella was immeasurably beautiful, financially independent, intelligent and she was fully in charge of her life. She had not met a man who was easy on the eyes and who could challenge her intellect. Not yet.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Note: First up, I forgot to do this before the first chapter: I want to thank "my girls" from the blog (Rach, JB and Dalia) for your encouragement, suggestions and editing skills). Secondly, Dalia deserves a special shout out because the storyline of the smart assed sexy bartender, Troy, was her idea. Third, I know Troy's MBA route might be a little unconventional and not necessarily how a "working MBA" is accomplished, just bear with it for the story's sake. It is fiction after all….**

Chapter 2

It was 12:05 and Gabriella was already running 5 minutes late for her meeting with her father as she pressed the elevator button to the top floor of his building. She was dressed professionally in a form fitting white pant suit with a silver camisole and low heeled silver sandals. Her hair was loosely drawn back into a low ponytail that was pulled to one side. As she rode to the 18th floor, she thought about how she had dealt with the "situation" of the man in her bed earlier that morning in a rather cold hearted manner. A smug smirk crept onto her lips…

_After getting her morning breath of fresh air, Gabriella confidently marched back into the bedroom. She pulled the covers off her unsuspecting bedmate and said, "It's late and it's time for you to be getting going."_

_Andrew startled awake to find Gabriella staring down at him with her arms crossed in front of her. "Baby, it's still early. Aren't you ready for another round of me?" he asked, rubbing his eyes but not bothering to pull the covers back._

_Instead he did his best to pose provocatively thinking he could lure her back into bed with him. But luck was not on Andrew's side this morning as Gabriella's face turned sour and she let her impatience with him be fully known._

"_Please find your things and leave. You don't need to bother calling me again," she ordered, her back already turned away from him. And with that, she waltzed into the bathroom and locked the door, turning on the water for her shower. _

She had no idea what this meeting was about but her father had told her it was important and not to be late. The elevator ding signaled she was at her destination and she stepped out, greeted by Claire, her father's receptionist of 2 years.

"Good afternoon Claire" Gabriella obligingly stated but looking up towards the ceiling as she did. She was uninterested in making small talk.

"Very well, thank-you Ms. Montez," Claire replied, eagerly. "I think your father is expecting you already in his office."

Gabriella made her way through the ebony double doors to her father's office and was met by her father's welcoming arms in an affectionate hug which lifted her slightly off the ground. Gabriella noted that her father's business lawyer was seated in a chair on one side of the desk. She had only ever known Craig Angus on a social basis from the many cocktail parties her father had hosted. She had never dealt with him on a business level. Something was definitely up.

"Well, Gabriella. I'm going to get right down to why I've called you here for this meeting. I've always known that you wanted to show what you could offer Montez International Holdings. You seem to have a remarkable head for business, Gabriella, despite the fact you've been educated in the arts," her father began.

Her mind began to race. Gabriella had been waiting for a chance to prove herself to her father. He had always been extremely supportive of Gabriella's educational pursuits even though he didn't understand her choice of discipline. Romantic literature was completely off his radar. Regardless, she had made the Dean's list and even had an essay published in a highly esteemed journal in her senior year so he knew she was extremely smart. But, he also knew from casual conversations over many dinners together that Gabriella understood business, and had many forward thinking ideas. She was headstrong and not one to be pushed around either. With all these qualities put together, he felt she could handle this task he had for her.

"I've just recently purchased an extremely hot trendy bar located in South Beach called **The Oasis.** It pulls in a pretty sizable income but I've taken a look at the books and I think it has the potential to do better. I've decided to let you take over management of the bar, Gabriella, rather than hiring an outside person to do it. I already know I have your trust and you're young and familiar with the club scene. You've got the brains and terrific ideas and I want to see what you can do with it. What do you think?"

Gabriella tried to contain her excitement so she wouldn't appear like a 6 year old on Christmas morning who had just been given her first bike. "Father, I'm honored that you would give me this opportunity," Gabriella managed to say.

Javier Montez clasped his hands together in a gesture that showed his satisfaction. "Great. I'll have Craig just finalize the paperwork with you and get all the t's crossed and i's dotted. I'm glad to have you on board Gabriella." With a few easy signatures, the details were squared away.

Driving away from her father's office back in the direction of her penthouse, Gabriella decided that she would get started with her new responsibility right away. She was already hit with a brilliant brainwave as to how she would begin her managerial duties.

She definitely was not going to show up and announce herself as the new manager right away. Gabriella decided that research was needed first. She wanted to get a feel for the vibe of the bar from the perspective of a customer, but with a manager's critical eyes and ears. She would listen to what the other customers were saying. She would see if the atmosphere and décor of the interior put her in the mood to party and to stay and spend more money. She would taste the food and drink as a paying patron and observe the staff's interactions with each other and their treatment of her, without knowing who she was. She was all too familiar with the fact that once staff knew who you were, they treated you with kid gloves. She had received the VIP treatment all her life but this was the first time she was going to see what it was like _**not**_ to be the boss's daughter. And, she decided, she was going to be hard to please.

First, she needed the perfect outfit, so a small shopping trip was in order. Second, she needed to think of a new name she could use while she conducted her "research."

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As Troy stood on his balcony, memories of the previous night's hook up came back to him. The redhead was still in his bed sleeping peacefully. She was a little older than Troy, but this was not unusual for him. He had slept with women as young as 22 and as old as 41. He didn't really demand a specific type of woman to share his bed as he was only in it for the sex.

Probably his one qualification is that the woman couldn't be overly "done." No caked on make up, hair had to be shiny and not stiff with hairspray. He couldn't really avoid women in Miami Beach who hadn't gone through some type of surgery in to enhance their looks but he really couldn't stomach the overly plumped up lips from too many collagen injections or faces that were pulled so tight he thought they might snap. If he was with a slightly older woman, he actually didn't mind the fine lines around their eyes because that meant life experience. With that experience usually came more expertise and confidence in the bedroom.

That was the key for him; was he going to get a good fuck? He was so good at reading women and the energy they gave off. He could tell just by looking at them if they were going to be sexually compatible. That was about all that mattered because he wasn't looking for anything permanent.

Last night's sex was fairly high on his scale. He had closed the bar a bit early because it was a Wednesday night, one of the slower nights of the week. He had been playing a bit of cat and mouse with this woman all evening, exchanging toying glances across the bar. Driving back to his apartment, she had given him a fantastic blow job. With his first orgasm out of the way, by the time they made it back to his place, he was ready to go longer for their next round. And longer he did; he was able to bring her to orgasm twice, slowing down his movements in between peaks, while he held out on his own until the very end.

He took the coffee and croissant into the redhead, sat down on the edge of the bed and gently touched her shoulder. He wasn't quite as cruel to kick her out without breakfast but he did want to get some studying in before heading to The Oasis. Plus, he needed to go over last night's receipts before opening today since he didn't get a chance to do it then. He took his responsibility for the club seriously and never sloughed off his duties.

"Julie, I brought you something," he said, in a somewhat monotone voice. This was the time to make sure she knew this was a one time deal. Troy was never very affectionate the morning after.

She sat up and smiled, observing his bare chest and slightly flexed abdominal muscles. Julie was definitely hoping for a second helping of Troy. She let the sheet drop to expose her breasts.

Troy abruptly stood up and stepped back from the bed slightly, having received the message she was sending. "You might want to cover up; this morning air is a bit chilly," he said, with a distant kindness in his voice. "You enjoy your coffee and croissant. I'm gonna grab a shower."

"Do you want some company?" Julie asked, with a playful and hopeful tone.

"Um, no thanks. But hey, last night was great. You were fantastic. You can let yourself out babe," he said as he stepped into the bathroom.

And that all Julie needed to confirm that her one night with Troy was over. She breathed out a sigh and smiled. She didn't really expect any differently because she knew his reputation. She looked over the messed up sheets and the condom wrapper on the floor and took satisfaction in the fact that Troy had chosen her last night. She wasn't so desperate in that she felt it was some immense honor to end up in his bed because she certainly wasn't lacking for male attention. But Troy Bolton was about as hot and sexy as any man she had ever met and she got to reap the benefits of his skilled hands and see for herself the incredible body that most of the women at the bar only got to fantasize about.

Julie collected her scattered articles of clothing. She got dressed and decided to take her coffee and croissant to go. She slipped out as quickly as she could, not wanting to find herself in the embarrassing situation of still being there when Troy got out of the shower.

Meanwhile, Troy made sure he heard the front door of his apartment click before he stepped out of the bathroom. He was hoping not to deal with any awkward small talk nor did he want to come across as harsh about getting Julie to leave. He was relieved that she had figured the situation out on her own.

Troy slipped on a pair of comfortable sweats and a t-shirt. He stripped the sheets off the bed and threw them in the hamper. He got a fresh set out and remade the bed. Even though he didn't keep his place meticulously clean, he took a moderate amount of pride in keeping it appropriately tidy. He wasn't trying to impress the women he brought home, but he had enough consideration to provide fresh linens and make sure the bathroom was presentable for guests.

Taking care of that item of housekeeping, Troy grabbed a banana and a breakfast bar and stretched out on the couch. He now had the entire morning to himself and needed to get caught up on his reading in "Managerial Accounting." Not exactly the most engaging textbook, but part of his course requirements.

Thoughts of his previous night's activities were gone from his mind as a new day had begun as soon as Julie left his apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gabriella stood in front of the mirror putting the finishing touches on her makeup before heading out to visit her new pet project. Her goal tonight was to be not too obvious. She hoped to make a couple of visits before making her identity known to the staff so she would need to be careful tonight.

She was pleased with her appearance. She had opted to pick up only one new piece of clothing today at one of her favorite boutiques "Mische." Gabriella had called ahead to see if there was anything new or special that warranted a stop. The owner of the store, Lara, had told her that a beautiful piece had arrived by one of Gabriella's favorite new young designers out of Los Angeles. Lara had already put it aside for her. She knew Gabriella's leanings towards backless clothing and this top fit the bill.

The golden silk halter showcased Gabriella's lean and toned shoulders and back perfectly. It was high in the front and tied at the nape of her neck and in the back at the level of the waistband of her pants. If Gabriella was wearing a backless top, she usually opted for high fronts or very little cleavage at the most. She always erred on the side of sexy but sophisticated, never going for the overtly provocative.

She paired the halter with trim white narrow legged pants and gold strappy sandals. For jewelry she opted for her 1 carat diamond earring studs and that was all. Her make up consisted of ever so slightly smokey eyes and pale gloss. She wore her hair down in loose waves.

She called the valet to bring her car to the front of the building and made her way to the lobby. She informed him that she would be driving herself so she would not need the limo or her driver. She checked her watch: 9:45 pm. The Oasis should just be getting warmed up by now.

When she reached ground level she saw her vintage 1970 red Jaguar E type roadster waiting for her. It was a birthday present from her father 7 months ago and she absolutely adored her car. She had been hinting at it for 2 years. Her father had resisted because he wanted to buy her something new and sleeker but Gabriella loved the character of older cars and Javier Montez finally relented. She tipped the valet but did so without a glance, a thank-you, or a "good evening." She hopped in the car and sped off toward the awaiting nightlife of South Beach.

It was time for The Oasis to meet Gabriella Casas.

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Troy Bolton was in fine form this Thursday evening. The bar was crowded with the usual regulars and a smaller percentage of new patrons. Troy had been informed a few days prior that the Oasis was under new ownership. He had always held the manager position but with new owners, his job that currently stretched well beyond bartender could be in jeopardy. In the meantime, he was responsible for bartending, ordering, paying invoices, bank deposits and staff management. These were all tasks that he could handily manage along with his studies. Other than daily bookkeeping, the bar pretty much ran itself. The small kitchen kept a limited menu of tapas selections and the chef ran his own show, always keeping up with the latest culinary trends. Being the only bartender, he had a regular ordering schedule for the liquor which he had always looked after. The bar was closed on Monday's so he had that day fully off to himself.

Tonight Troy was dressed in slim cut black trousers and a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the middle of his biceps. Thursday was martini night and Troy was wooing the crowd with his cocktail shaking skills. The shaker would fly upwards, sometimes behind his back, ice rattling and Troy would deftly snag it out of the air and pour the liquid into the awaiting chilled glass. All the while, he would be chatting up some fortunate woman or engaging in witty banter with several males. His manner was so easy and slick.

The Oasis was a very open air bar. The actual bar counter stretched along one side of the restaurant, front to back, to accommodate the many customers who wished to sit at the bar rather than tables so they could be closer to the spectacle Troy Bolton provided. People walking along Ocean Drive had an easy view to the bar and couldn't help but be drawn in by the entertaining bartender. If they couldn't make it part of their plans that night, they made a point of returning as soon as they could.

The atmosphere of the bar was as cool and smooth as Troy. The dark walnut paneled walls were uplit with small round puck lights that were nestled in a shallow ledge half-way up the wall. Contemporary photographs of Miami and South Beach in simple black frames and white matting were the only artwork. The tables were all square and usually sat 2-4 people max but could be pushed together for bigger groups. The chairs were only sleek chrome stools, similar to what were along the bar but at table height. People didn't come to sit and lounge, they came to dance. The techno music pulsated out an inviting rhythm to the hip, upscale crowd that frequented the large dance floor.

As far as Troy could tell, this was shaping up to be like any other Thursday night He glanced down at his watch which read 10:05 pm. Then, he looked up and someone caught his eye.

There was a woman arguing with the hostess at the front door, he guessed most likely about having to wait for a seat. There was no way he was going to let this one get turned away or storm off in anger. Even from the distance that he was from the door, he could see this was a woman of remarkable beauty. She had to get in. Troy politely excused himself from his position and walked over to the entrance.

"Hmmm, Rebecca. Do we have a problem?" Troy queried, trying to appear disinterested in the new customer who was standing with one hand on her hip. He had already looked her over while making his way toward them and before Gabriella would have noticed him. "Incredible," he decided.

"Well, for one, this woman insists that she be seated but you can see we're full," responded Rebecca with exasperation. "She doesn't seem to realize that you can't just walk into a popular South Beach bar at 10 o'clock and expect a seat."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Rebecca, that's your name? I am standing right here. Could you please not pretend that I can't hear what you're saying? I also already told you my name so I'd prefer not to be referred to as **this woman**. And, I do realize that it may be difficult to get a seat at this time of night but all I have gotten from you is attitude and an argument. You've made no effort to see if anyone might be close paying their bill."

Rebecca opened her mouth to respond, but Troy put his finger to his lips. It was then when Gabriella looked over at Troy. She had been so focused on how pissed she was at Rebecca's lack of effort, she hadn't bothered to notice this man who had come to intervene. Her eyes caught his alluring blue ones and she blinked. "Wow" she thought.

"Well, I do actually have a customer who is settling his tab at the bar right now, so I think we have a spot for you, Ms….." Troy began, realizing he hadn't got Gabriella's name from Rebecca.

Gabriella looked over at Rebecca to see if she would remember her name. Rebecca motioned a shrug signaling that she had forgotten. "Strike three sister. You're fired," Gabriella thought to herself.

"Casas. Gabriella Casas" Gabriella filled in for Troy. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it Rebecca?" she added stiffly, looking at Rebecca with obvious disdain.

"Please follow me, Ms. Casas" said Troy, walking off towards the bar. Gabriella looked back over her shoulder at Rebecca. "Enjoy your last couple of days of employment, Rebecca." Gabriella thought, almost aloud. Rebecca sent a glare Gabriella's way, not realizing her impending doom.

As they walked over to the bar, Gabriella could feel the burning eyes of so many men on her. She was most certainly the one woman who could turn the heads of any man in the room, no matter who he had already hooked up with. When they reached the bar counter, Troy motioned to the seat that had just cleared, "there you are, Ms. Casas"

The young man who had just stood up lustily looked Gabriella up and down and said to Troy, "I picked the wrong time to leave, didn't I? Damn those early flights."

Gabriella stared at him with distaste. "Oh, you couldn't be more mistaken. Would you please excuse me so I can sit down?"

Gabriella took her seat on the stool and Troy became aware of her bare, barely tanned back which was now facing him. Her muscles lightly flexed as she shifted her position on her stool. "Very sexy," he thought, "and she's definitely got fire," making his way back behind the bar.

He was now facing her and Gabriella turned her gaze to him. "Oh, so you're the bartender. Good, I'll have a dry vodka martini, dirty," she said, in a very straightforward, almost business like tone.

The way she said "dirty" sent a little spark through Troy. "Settle down there," he thought to himself. "The evening is way too early to give yourself away. This one is going to take a bit of work." He had to admit he was also impressed by her drink request. It was not the usual fruity martinis he was used to mixing for the younger women.

He dipped the shaker into the ice, poured in the vodka, a bit of vermouth and the olive brine. Gabriella's eyes widened a bit. "Excuse me, bartender? Vermouth? It's not necessary. "

Troy looked back at her, amazed she was questioning him before he even had given her the drink. "Trust me, its better," he said.

"Hmmm" she said and turned her back to him to survey the bar. People looked like they were fully enjoying themselves. She made a note of the artwork and while she liked the photography, she noted that she would implement a constantly changing gallery of photographs rather than having a static display. The music was fine but slightly dated. She recognized the synthesized "Moby" track that was playing and thought they should be playing only the most current songs.

She swiveled around again and found her cocktail waiting for her. She took one sip and pushed it away. Gabriella looked down the bar and saw Troy was commanding the other end of the bar with his drink mixing skills. "Nice biceps, nice ass" she thought to herself. "Too bad he's staff."

A woman sitting next to her caught Gabriella checking out Troy. "He is so fuckingly fine, isn't he?" she said to Gabriella, her voice trailing off in a sigh at the end.

Gabriella was never one to let her guard down too easily. She almost shrugged off the woman's comment. "I suppose. But, he fucked up my drink."

"Oh my god, I can't believe you just said that. Troy Bolton is the most reputable bartender around. Every bar in town wants him. And so does every woman"

"Really now," Gabriella said, her interest piqued. Just from briefly observing him personally and taking what the woman said into account, she realized that this "Troy" was probably the bar's biggest asset. That didn't mean that she couldn't throw down a challenge and see how he took it though.

Troy came back to her end of the bar and noticed Gabriella had moved the drink away from her. "Is there a problem with your drink, Ms. Casas?" Troy asked.

"It's not dry enough; it's the vermouth," answered Gabriella somewhat curtly but with one eyebrow slightly raised. "What was that you said about trusting you?"

"Well, I certainly can't have my newest customer unsatisfied. I have never left a woman _**unsatisfied**_," Troy responded, in a clearly flirtatious manner.

Gabriella cocked a slight smirk at him, "Well, how about I trust you one more time to satisfy me Mr. Bolton. Right after I dance this once song." She slid off her barstool and sauntered to the dance floor.

A remix of one of her favorite songs was playing and when Gabriella danced, she owned the dance floor. She let her body lose itself in the rhythm, her arms raised over her head and eyes closed. Her hips pumped forward and her back arched, accentuating the sultry curves of her body. She lowered her arms and her thumbs grazed down her ribcage. The touch of her own fingers aroused her slightly and her nipples hardened, visible through the satiny material of her top because she was braless.

All of these actions were being followed by a pair of entranced blue eyes from behind the bar. "Holy fuck," Troy thought to himself. "Who the hell is this woman?"

Gabriella was dancing solo but a bevy of men made their way in and out of her personal space. She was like a magnet drawing them in but she would allow no one to touch her. As a hand would reach out, or a pelvis come too close, she would push them away, one by one. The song ended and she made her way back to her seat and her newly mixed martini.

She sat down and waited until she had Troy's full attention. He had managed to pull himself away from staring at Gabriella's floor show and was currently charming two younger women a couple of seats away. When he saw Gabriella was back, he gave the girls a wink and side stepped his way to towards her. She sensed the wink was more for her to observe. "Have you tried your drink? I'm sure you'll find it to your standards of satisfaction this time," Troy stated arrogantly.

Gabriella dipped her index finger into the glass and opened her mouth, her tongue drawing in her finger, dripping with the liquid, until her lips encased it. She slowly slid her finger out. She looked at Troy directly in his gorgeous blue eyes, "It's still wet." She pushed herself away from the bar, turned on the stool, stood up and walked out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Troy shut his Global Marketing textbook and decided to blend a protein smoothie for himself. He had been trying to get his mind off of a certain woman who had graced The Oasis the previous night and studying wasn't working. Neither had the ritual of his morning run. Her rejection of his drink mixing abilities had thrown him for a bit of a loop but, on the other hand, the attitude she displayed when she "tasted" the second martini was more like an attempt to fuck with him than actual disappointment in the drink itself. So, he didn't feel entirely turned down but she certainly hadn't given him the thumbs up either. He had no idea if she would return to the bar but he hoped that she would. Gabriella had definitely caught his attention in more ways than one.

After he had finished his smoothie he glanced down at his watch and decided he would head over to the bar. He wanted to check over the bar inventory and work on next week's schedule for the staff. He had also asked the chef if they could meet briefly regarding a couple of menu changes. He also had his mind on creating a new drink for the weekend and he needed some time to test out his recipe and let the staff try it before opening.

Troy hadn't heard much regarding the new ownership of the bar but he decided he would just keep up the status quo for the time being. He certainly wanted to make a good impression if he hoped to approach the new owner about the possibility of him buying in in the future. Plus, he was protecting his potential investment by maintaining the success of the bar.

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Gabriella returned to her penthouse from the studio after her private yoga session that morning. It felt so good to stretch out her muscles and focus her thinking. Unfortunately, the second task hadn't been so easy. Admittedly, she had some trouble falling asleep last night. A certain sexy bartender was flooding her thoughts and what was keeping her awake was figuring out how she was going to knock him out of her brain since she was going to be his boss. She would never have the respect of the staff if they suspected she was attracted to the bartender just like every other common woman who stepped foot into The Oasis was. Gabriella was pretty sure he had bedded down most of the waitresses and hostesses. She had observed his flirtatious manner with the women at the bar and she was almost positive he was the type of guy who wouldn't turn down a convenient blow job from a willing waitress.

Gabriella sat down at her writing desk and began to make a few notes about things she wanted to change at the bar. First on the list: fire Rebecca. Second, she would have to conduct staff reviews with everyone else to see if they met her standards. Third, look over the music and get outdated tracks off the play lists. Fourth, check out local photography studios and see about working out a deal to have rotating displays. That was usually a symbiotic relationship. The artist would get free exposure and Gabriella ensured her walls would never get boring. She wanted cutting edge photography though; not just the usual shots of art deco hotels and palm trees that were "typical Miami Beach." Eventually, her mind wandered back to the sculpted biceps and hypnotizing ocean blue eyes that belonged to the one aspect of the bar that was definitely staying: Troy Bolton. Although, she may have to give his attitude a slight adjustment.

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It was 9:30 pm and The Oasis was buzzing. The temperature had risen about 10 degrees that day in Miami Beach and the air was heavy with humidity. The customers were celebrating the end of the week and Troy's pomegranate and lime margaritas were a tremendous hit. Troy had already eyed which women were on his list to take home that night but hadn't narrowed it down to one yet. Troy was feeling very up on his game tonight after last night's slight ego blow.

As he looked over the bar, he spied the one person he had hoped he would see again but wasn't sure he would. Gabriella had come back and she had somehow topped her sex appeal from the night before. She was wearing a close fitting black lace dress with nude coloured lining and cut just above the knee. Her black stiletto pumps accentuated her taut calf muscles. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun and a few tendrils lightly touched her shoulders. He had no words to describe her exotic beauty. She was beyond compare to any woman he had ever seen.

Rebecca made no attempt to stop Gabriella from making her way over to the bar; their previous evening's run-in far too fresh in her mind. As Gabriella walked from the front door to the counter, Rebecca pointed to Gabriella and mouthed the word "bitch" to one of the waitresses. Gabriella stood at the bar, drumming her fingers until Troy, taking his time, made his way over to her.

"Welcome back, Ms. Casas. Is there something I can do for you? As you can see we're extremely busy tonight" he said with a cocky, self-assured grin. "I don't think I'll be able to help you as easily with a seat as I could last night. And, clearly you didn't think you needed the help of our hostess this evening."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and realized there wasn't much that Troy missed. "Well, I don't expect you to kick anyone out, if that's what you're thinking. But maybe you could offer me a drink," Gabriella said, looking around and taking in the scene, "seeing as I might have to wait to sit down."

Troy smirked. "Well, I don't know about that. You didn't seem overly impressed with my bartending skills. Perhaps you'd prefer a beer," Troy responded with a nervy tone.

Gabriella laughed in a conceited manner. "Do I look like a woman who drinks beer?" she said as she traced her lips with her finger. "Honestly, Mr. Bolton. I took you for someone who could read people better than that," Gabriella retorted.

Troy drank in this last action of hers and shifted his feet. "No need to take my comment as an insult. On the contrary, I do my best not to make assumptions about anyone based on looks alone. Perhaps a glass of Pinot Blanc then? I'll happily open a new bottle for you," Troy said, looking unfazed.

Gabriella leaned closer and stared into his confident and stunning blue eyes. "I haven't quite given up on you yet, Troy." She moved her gaze down his hard chest to his slim waist, finally resting her eyes on his groin. "Don't tell me you've gone limp on me already. We've only just met." She bit her lip and gave him a suggestive smirk as she brought her eyes back to his. "I'll try this creation of yours that seems to have all these **panties** in twist," Gabriella said, waving her arm wistfully around the room.

"Salt or no salt?" Troy asked.

"Whatever you feel is best, Mr. Bolton. Prove to me you're worth what everyone says about you," Gabriella mocked.

Troy proceeded to wet the edge of the margarita glass with a lime and dipped the edge in rock salt. He poured the liquid in and gently placed it in front of Gabriella, cocking his eyebrow at her. "Drink up, Ms. Casas. This should take you to the moon and back. I don't know about _**everyone else**_**,** but all the _**women **_say I send them there and I know they enjoy the ride," Troy breathed, walking away to attend to other customers.

Gabriella sipped on the libation that Troy had produced and found that it was perfection in a glass. The liquid seared its way down her throat and as she drank it rather steadily, she found her tension melting away. She turned and faced the rest of the interior and scanned the room, making more observations.

She felt some of the waitresses were dressed on the slutty side. Sultry was ok, skanky: no. Even though this was South Beach, she wanted the club to maintain its appeal to the upper crust. The dress code issue would have to be addressed. Also, even though tattoos were _de rigueur _in Miami, she would not tolerate overly inked waitresses. That just screamed low class to her. Some of them would have to take to wearing shirts or use make-up that covered their artwork.

She turned to find Troy at the end of the bar cupping the ass and nuzzling his lips into the neck of some blonde who was throwing her head back in pleasure and laughing. Gabriella rolled her eyes, but mentally took note that the woman was very hot. Gabriella had finished her drink and the alcohol was having a bit of an effect on her. She made her way to the dance floor, grabbing the hand of a young, partially Latino looking guy, who bore a similar resemblance to Gael Garcia Bernal. He took one look at Gabriella and knew he would have been crazy to turn down a dance with her.

The couple molded their bodies together and shared the heat of the skin on skin contact. She flipped so her back was on his front. She dipped into a deep squat and slid her body against the length of his thighs and torso. He placed his hands on her hips and they moved in sync with each other. He had amazing rhythm and she was fully enjoying herself, barely thinking of the bartender she had been flirting with minutes ago. She loved dancing with someone who was so aware of the beat and was able to adapt to her movements so easily. The song ended and the next track blended right in, with no pause. She thanked her partner, signaling to him that she was only interested in the one dance with him. He understood her message and kissed her hand, going back to his table to join his friends.

She didn't feel like leaving the dance floor quite yet so she continued to move to the thumping of the heavy bass beat. The blonde that Troy had just been groping had made her way to the dance floor and was also without a partner. She and Gabriella were right next to each other and their arms occasionally brushed as they moved. Eventually Gabriella was facing the woman and they fell into rhythm with each other, moving closer and closer until their breasts were nearly touching. They gave each other a little smile, knowing that most of the male eyes in the bar were on them. This was every guy's fantasy and they decided to play it up for fun. Gabriella allowed her thigh to move in between the legs of the blonde and she in turn sank down a little, her skirt raising and almost allowing the apex of her thighs to lightly brush against Gabriella. She placed one hand on Gabriella's shoulder and ran her finger down the length of Gabriella's arm until it reached her hand. Then both her hands grasped Gabriella's and together they raised their arms above their heads, fingers laced together. Their hips moved in opposite directions but in perfect unison, as though this routine was entirely rehearsed. Gabriella's chest and shoulders were glistening with the thick heat in the air.

By now, Troy's attention was fully on the two women. Gabriella glanced over at Troy and she raised her eyebrows suggestively at him. Gabriella had both her hands on the woman's waist, moved her lips up to the blonde's ear and said something to her that elicited a smile. From Troy's perspective, it appeared as though Gabriella had kissed her lips over the blonde's ear and jaw line. His body temperature shot up a few degrees. "Jesus Christ," he uttered. Troy ran his tongue along the corner of his mouth. "She's toying with me," he said under his breath and felt his cock straining against his pants. He let a wet highball glass slip from his fingers.

This was only noticed by a few of the patrons at the counter as the music was loud enough to drown out the sound of the glass shattering on the floor. As the track ended the two women parted and Gabriella made her way back to the counter, not without glancing over her shoulder at the woman and smirking with satisfaction. She got secret pleasure out of the fact that Troy was watching the entertainment she had just provided for the male patrons of the bar. She knew she was dangerously close to the edge by teasing like that, but she got caught up in the moment and it was part of who she was. After all, it was her passionate nature was what drove her towards romantic literature.

A seat had opened up at the bar and she took it, happy for her feet to find a bit of relief. She allowed the hem of her skirt to rise past the midway point of her thigh. The exposure helping to cool her slightly; a sensation which was welcomed. She looked for Troy as she was dying for a glass of water to quench her thirst and she was curious to see if he would have something clever to say to her. She realized he wasn't behind the bar. Then she noticed he had gone out from behind the counter to meet the blonde Gabriella had been dancing with. He was placing a languid kiss in the curve of her neck.

This action beguiled Gabriella a bit. She knew Troy had noticed her with the blonde. Gabriella felt this display of his was deliberately for her benefit in response to her dancing, like he was returning a volley in a tennis game. She watched them interact and observed what looked like him giving her a key and him drawing out directions on the palm of her hand. The blonde nodded, kissed his lips, and walked out of the bar.

"Well, at least he follows through with what he starts," thought Gabriella.

She decided to head home as well, satisfied with what she had accomplished for the evening. She gathered her wrap and walked outside, giving the valet the ticket to get her car. This did not go unnoticed by Troy and he followed her out. He came up behind her and whispered in her ear. "How was your drink…and your dance?" The valet pulled up with her car and Troy's jaw dropped a little at the sexy red Jaguar roadster. He was pleasantly surprised at her choice of ride. Just before Gabriella slipped into the driver's seat, she looked across the car at him and said, "The drink and the dance were both extremely satisfying. Goodnight Mr. Bolton. Enjoy the blonde." And she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was lunchtime on Sunday. Troy and the rest of the Oasis staff had been summoned to meet the person who was representing the new owner and they were all gathered in the bar waiting for his or her arrival. A memo had been sent by courier on Saturday instructing every single staff person to be there. Any previous plans were to be dropped at the risk of losing their job. The memo didn't mention the name of the new owner and it was only signed "GM."

The chef had been instructed to come in early to prepare lunch for everyone and to provide a fair sampling of the menu so that it could be reviewed by the new ownership. Needless to say, no one was pleased to be there early. For some, it was a normal day off and for others, it was hours before they had to be in. Either way, no one really appreciated having this interruption in the middle of the day.

"Who does this person think he or she is?" whined Rebecca. "Like, what's the deal? Everything is running just fine under Troy's management. Why not just have a meeting with him? Nothing needs to change."

Troy rolled his eyes at Rebecca's childlike impatience. "Rebecca, it **is **prudent of the new ownership to meet with everyone. Besides, wouldn't you want to know who he is in case he stopped by one evening? You'd want to be on your best behavior," Troy teased, condescendingly.

Rebecca huffed at his comment and turned to one of the other hostesses. The rest of the staff started grumbling amongst themselves while Troy's thoughts drifted off to the previous night at the bar.

_Troy couldn't deny he wasn't watching the front door all evening wishing the thorny but undeniably sexy and gorgeous Gabriella Casas would return to the bar for a third night in a row. He hoped that his obvious invitation to the blonde had gotten under Gabriella's skin. From the remark that she made before she took off in that unbelievably hot car, he knew that she had noticed and thought there might have been a hint of jealousy in her voice even though she was fighting to hide it._

_He was positive she would come back, warmed and ready to the idea of his advances, not wanting him to "pass her over" again. He knew she was a challenge, but he thought he still had the upper hand. _

_But wish as he might, she never appeared. Had he blown it? Did he push the flirtation with the blonde too far? Troy feared his conceit had gotten the better of him and he had played his hand overzealously. He had been amazed at her ability to make so strong an impression on him and he had to suppress his longing to see her again._

Troy was snapped out of his daydreaming by the sound of the front door closing. Who he saw caused a devilish smirk to take over his lips. The staff was still engaged in their conversations and Troy sauntered over and greeted the person he had missed seeing the night before. For a Sunday afternoon in Miami, he thought she was dressed rather business like in a pencil slim black skirt and crisp white short sleeved blouse. Still, the shoes gave away her sexy edge: very high, spike heeled patent pumps.

Troy leaned in slightly and stated assuredly, "Ms. Casas are you trying to guarantee a seat for yourself for tonight?" he said, with a gleam in his eye and leaned closer still. "Or was it that you just couldn't stay away from my captivating personality any longer?"

Eyeing Troy with a slight hint of spite, Gabriella breathed, "Keep going, Troy. You're on a roll."

Troy took one step toward her and said in a hushed voice, "Well, then it must be that you want to find out what you missed out on the other night and what that beautiful blonde didn't."

Gabriella took her cue at his arrogant insinuation. Her body stiffened slightly and the tone of her voice hardened. "Mr. Bolton, do you really think it's appropriate for you to use your position here at the bar as a vehicle for getting laid?"

A somewhat surprised Troy scanned Gabriella's face, not quite sure what to make of this accusation. She didn't seem to be just teasing him because he had heard the coldness in her voice. "Ms. Casas, or can I call you Gabriella, since you've addressed me by my first name; exactly, what concern is it of yours how I use my position at this bar? You don't strike me as the type to judge my actions."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes ever so slightly at his lack of modesty. This was the moment that would forever change the dynamic between them. No more flirting, no more innuendos. "My expectation of my staff is that they will conduct themselves in a way that benefits the bar, not their own sexual gratification. That's what my concern is."

"**Your** staff, what the hell are you talking about?" Troy demanded. Then, the dots connected for him.

"My name is Gabriella Montez. My father is the new owner of The Oasis and he has turned it over to me to run. I'm your new boss," she said, looking at him squarely, as a feeling of smug satisfaction filled her insides.

Inside of his head, his jaw had dropped to the floor but on the outside Troy refused to show Gabriella that he had been unnerved by this revelation. He stuck out his hand in a gesture to shake hers, "Well then. Ms. …" he paused, "Montez, is it? I'm pleased to meet you."

Gabriella's thoughts swirled in her head but she didn't let them betray her outwardly, _He seems unscathed by me. In any other circumstance, that would definitely inspire me to take him into the back room and fuck his brains out. However, he being my employee puts a damper on that pleasurable thought. God, he's cocky._

Gabriella took his hand and firmly grasped his. This was the first time they had touched. The warmth of his skin sent heat up into her forearm and she couldn't deny the surge of delectation that his touch was giving her. She shook his hand solidly and dropped it, steadfast in her resolve to maintain professional distance.

Troy felt the slight quiver in her hand as he had squeezed it and he tucked that memory away for now. He had to reshift his focus. Troy's comfortable world as he knew it had just been radically altered by the sexy woman who had been haunting his thoughts the past few days. His actions from this moment on would have to be carefully considered and that's not how he normally liked to do things. If Ms. Montez wanted to play hard ball, he was up for the challenge. He was ready to give it to her so good she would never forget it.

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The next 30 minutes were spent with Gabriella setting up appointments for staff reviews. The last person who Gabriella called was Rebecca, who was not happy to be kept waiting until the very end. The only staff people remaining in the bar were Troy, the chef and Rebecca. When she approached Gabriella to arrange her time slot, Gabriella addressed her curtly. "We will not need to meet again, Rebecca. After the way you handled my first visit to The Oasis, I can assure you, the type of service you provide will not be required by me. Your employment is terminated."

Rebecca opened her mouth to respond but Gabriella shut her down immediately. "You will receive two weeks pay in lieu of notice. Employee performance slides drastically once they have been given notice, although I can't imagine you working at a lower level than you already have been. Good day, Rebecca. You will receive your final check in the mail."

"Shit," mumbled Troy under his breath. "She's a loaded gun." Troy had to admit that Rebecca's firing was no great loss to the bar, except that they were now down one hostess and there was a schedule to fill this week.

Rebecca stormed out of the Oasis leaving Troy, Gabriella and the chef, Richard. Gabriella turned to Richard and softened her demeanor a bit towards him. She congratulated him on his cooking and let him know she was generally pleased with the menu. She wanted him to find a replacement for the grilled asparagus and goat cheese salad. She was tired of seeing goat cheese on every single menu in town.

That left Gabriella and Troy alone in the bar, which now seemed to echo with the emptiness of just the two bodies occupying its expansive interior. Gabriella opened the conversation first, believing she should make sure he knew she was confidently in charge.

"Troy, I know you've been handling the management duties of The Oasis and doing so very capably. What I would prefer to do, rather than edge you out of your responsibilities, and thereby necessarily reducing your salary, is to think of this as a managerial partnership. How does that sound to you?" Gabriella asked.

Troy could tell from her choice of words that she was attempting to completely eradicate their past encounters and start new, all business. "What other choice do I have, Ms. Montez? I would be foolish to refuse this offer, wouldn't I? Otherwise, I'm looking at being unemployed by you."

Gabriella stared at him, trying to read his eyes for a look of derision, which is what she was sensing in his voice but not completely sure. "Troy, you needn't have taken my proposal as a threat. I'm aware of the fact that your presence, for many reasons, is the heart of this establishment and your employment here is the furthest from being in jeopardy as it possibly could be. Clearly the patrons return here because of you. Much of everything else about The Oasis doesn't make it more remarkable than most other high end South Beach bars. "

Troy was shocked that Gabriella would make him feel so assured of her confidence in his value so easily and so soon. What she said had been true but he thought for sure she would toy with him to make him feel more vulnerable. She was proving to be harder to read than he anticipated.

Troy responded with hesitation, not wanting to push her limits, "I'm relieved I have your seal of approval, Ms. Montez. I look forward to this managerial partnership; as you refer to it."

Gabriella could hear his voice lilt with the use of the word "relieved" and called him on it. "Seals can be broken, Troy. My approval isn't a forever guarantee, you know. Even you are capable of losing it."

Troy shrugged and stood up. "Well, if there's nothing else pressing, Ms. Montez, I should go home and get changed for the evening. We open in a couple of hours."

"Troy, I would like you to call me Gabriella. Even though this is business, I think the formality of 'Ms. Montez' will start to get on my nerves after awhile."

"It's your decision, Gabriella. Rebecca is proof of what can happen when your nerves get tested," Troy responded sarcastically.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Don't go there, Troy. Her problem had only to do with herself and nothing to do with my nerves. Don't worry about her; she'll easily find a job at some place with lower standards."

"Anything else before I head out, Gabriella?" Troy queried, getting a little impatient. Troy was getting annoyed with this "all business" attitude and he needed to shake it off before he made a snide remark that he wouldn't want to take back.

"There is one thing, Troy," Gabriella started to say and then paused, weighing her words. "I'm not going to say you **can't** continue your enticement of and hooking up with the women who come in here. God knows that's half the attraction for them coming."

Gabriella was doing her best not to sound disdainful of his escapades but also not giving wholehearted approval either.

"What I'm trying to say, is to show more discretion. The display you put on the other night with the blonde on the dance floor was so obvious; giving her your key like that? I want this bar to maintain its appeal to the upper echelons of Miami. If the men feel like you're out to steal the best women or like they can't measure up to your sex appeal, they'll stop bringing their business here. It's not just about drinking and dancing Troy. Big business deals are made between these walls. I've been around this scene long enough to know that."

Troy was impressed with her knowledge of all that went on within the Oasis. He, of course, was well aware of the wealthy financiers and corporate heads who met here to relax but also to do business. The Oasis was South Beach's answer to a golf course for sealing many huge deals.

"Gabriella, give me a little credit. I'm sure you are aware that show with the blonde was for your benefit. As much as your little dance with her was for mine," Troy said with cocky amusement. He leaned over the table slightly and lowered his voice, even though there was no one else there. "We were both playing games with each other that night and you know it. However, I can promise you, it's all business now, Ms. Montez," he said as a devious grin formed on his face and his eyes locked on hers.

This time, it was Troy who had the last word and he exited the bar before Gabriella could say anything else.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Gabriella spent most of Monday in meetings with the entire staff of The Oasis, other than the chef. She had made her one menu suggestion the day before and until she had other concerns addressed, she didn't have time to delve into the kitchen area much more deeply.

Gabriella informed the waitresses and hostesses of her new dress code requirements and her thoughts on tattoos. Some resisted based on the argument that the bar gets hot and they were only dressed that way to cool down. Gabriella stood firm, suggesting that she was sure they could find reasonable substitutes for their attire, to stay "cool." She also emphasized that she did not want skirts to go above mid thigh. Again, moans and groans erupted from the girls' mouths and Gabriella lost her patience with some of them. She informed them that some were dressed like borderline hookers and the last time she checked, she was running a bar, not a prostitution ring.

On the flip side, Gabriella also managed to gain their trust by telling them that she would have no tolerance for any unwelcome lewd advances made on her staff by a patron. If anyone laid hands on them, they were not to hesitate to inform her and she would give a polite warning, followed by removal by the bouncer if the person didn't comply. If they didn't mind the touching, that was their business. However, a fine line was to be drawn at being sexy vs. being sex objects. Gabriella was subversively trying to educate the girls to have self respect and that they weren't at the whim and mercy of every guy in the bar.

They were also told that she would be watching their performances over the next couple of weeks and fair wage increases would apply, if warranted. The success of the bar was her top priority but it was only as successful as the staff made it and she needed them to be content in their jobs.

The meeting with the DJ was brief; she telling him she only wanted the hottest tracks to be played. While she appreciated that his own musical taste probably exceeded the clientele of the bar, his job was to keep the dance floor full. The more people danced, the more their thirsts needed to be quenched and that meant bigger bar tabs.

That led to her meeting with Troy, which took up half the afternoon. Troy had come prepared; fully expecting her to crawl up his ass about something, anything. He knew he wasn't going to get off with just a warning about his female flirtations.

He arrived, dressed casually in dark slim jeans that sat low on his hips, a v-neck white tee that cut close to his torso and arms, and Converse sneakers. Gabriella had been eyeing him occasionally during her other meetings while he checked stock in the bar and inspected the glasses for chips. _"Damn, does he have to be so deliciously gorgeous?" she thought as his intense sapphire eyes spied every detail. _Gabriella felt her lips curl up as she watched him lick the crease of his lips in concentration. The sight of his moist tongue working its way so diligently across his luscious mouth made her yearn to find out where else it could work with the same precision.

Troy sat down across from Gabriella at their scheduled meeting time. She immediately noticed his wristwatch and recognized it as one that would have put him back a couple of thousand dollars. She was intrigued by his willingness to spend his hard earned paychecks on that kind of luxury. She thought it might be interesting to probe him a bit on it.

"Very nice watch, Troy," Gabriella remarked with a slight smirk, "a gift from an admirer?"

Troy bit on her baited question. "No, Gabriella. Even thought it's not really your business, it may surprise you to know that I bought this for myself." Troy leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms as he allowed a sly grin to form on his lips. "My selective taste extends to areas other than just women," his grin widening. "Plus, I would never accept a gift from a woman."

Gabriella decided to leave the last part of his comment for another time. "I'm glad to learn you are discriminating, Troy," Gabriella shot back smugly, and then added sharply, "Whether that extends to women or not, I can't fairly comment."

Moving away from what could become a heated debate, Troy pulled out his perfectly ordered payroll records and general ledger reports from an accordion file holder. "I'm sure you'll want to take a look at these," he said, laying them out in front of her. She wanted straight business and he was going to give it to her, right down her pretty little throat.

Gabriella thumbed through them briefly, while Troy steadied his gaze on her. She had dressed down somewhat from her stuffier, albeit sexy-in-a-corporate kind of way, attire from the day before. Her hair was pulled up again, but still loose enough to show her waves. Around her neck she wore a gold Chopard necklace with a small heart shaped pendant that held 3 small floating diamonds. Her shoulders and upper arms were well defined but still feminine. His eyes drifted down to the cleavage revealed by the scooped lacey neckline of her grey jersey tank.

Troy observed that she had obviously grown up around money her entire life. Her grooming and taste were impeccable. She knew how to exercise restraint in her wardrobe and jewelry choices. Even so, you couldn't ignore the sexuality that seeped from her pores that made men grow hard just by looking at her. He wasn't immune, but he knew how to play it.

Gabriella glanced up at him, catching his eyes moving up from her breasts to meet her face. She smirked and shifted in her seat, "Troy, you've kept these records extremely well. Is there a bookkeeper on the payroll?"

"No, I've been maintaining them on my own. I've made it my business to be completely up to date with the net income of this bar and I'm not one to wait on receiving cash flow reports." Troy responded assertively, gathering up the files.

"I'm glad to hear you feel so personally invested in the success of The Oasis, Troy," Gabriella said, leaning back slightly and letting her hands lace together over her stomach. "That is not a common trait in employees these days."

"Gabriella," Troy said stretching up his arms which lifted the bottom hem of his t-shirt to reveal his tan sculptured torso just above the waistband of his jeans. He shook his head and let out a low laugh. "You will find nothing about me is common," he said in a throaty voice as he caught her gaze.

Troy couldn't resist throwing out these cocky remarks. He knew his job was completely secure and he wasn't afraid to show his devil may care attitude towards Gabriella.

Gabriella couldn't help but notice the skin he had flashed and her heart rate quickened a little in response. He was gorgeous and she was sure he knew it. Her body fucking knew it and kindly reminded her of that every time she was around him but she was grateful that he couldn't see how she was responding right now. She had mastered the art of evasive action a long time ago.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Mr. Bolton, I think you rank pretty high up there as being more in love with yourself than any man I have ever met and I hardly know you. What do you think that says about you?"

Troy shrugged, "I think that says that I know myself and I trust my instincts. Why hold back when the rewards of this world are ready to be reaped? I apply that philosophy to health, financial success and sex. If I don't grab the opportunities, someone else will," Troy stated emphatically.

"So, sex is just something to be **grabbed, **Troy? That's how you view it?" Gabriella queried, her curiosity piqued by his take hold of life attitude.

Troy placed his strong hands on the table and leaned forward with a grin, "Funny how you only picked up on the sex part of that statement, Gabriella. Something on your mind? Something you need?" Troy mused and ran his tongue over his lower lip, not one to miss an opportunity to try and toy with Gabriella's attempts to maintain her tough boss image.

By now, Gabriella had stood up from her chair. She realized she had opened the door with that last question and she was frustrated with herself. She began strolling around the bar, trying to appear nonchalant. "Sex is on everyone's minds, Troy. It's only you who would think that my mind is preoccupied with you," she winced, knowing that it was a weak comeback.

Troy caught her error. "Who said anything about me? You picked up on the sex thing and I called you on it. You brought me into the mix." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Are you rethinking your resolve to keep this pure business?"

Gabriella made a mock gesture of thinking, placing her forefinger on her chin, "Hmm, tempting…but no. Really, Troy could you be any more arrogant?"

"You kind of left yourself open there, Gabriella. I was just having some fun," Troy replied lightheartedly. "You know, you can relax a little. I respect what you're trying to do here. You don't have to be so fixed on this power bitch boss act."

Gabriella turned to him and stared at him intensely, "Troy, this isn't an **act**. My managing this bar is a responsibility that my father has given me and it means a lot." Gabriella threw her arms up in the air and took a few purposeful steps away from him. "Why is it when a woman shows strength in a professional environment, she is a bitch?"

"Whoa there, Gabriella. Back it up. I don't think you're a bitch. I just think you're laying it on a little heavy," Troy replied, apologetically but still wanting to get his point across. He walked closer to her and could see her breathing had sped up and her hands were shaking slightly. "This isn't Wall Street. Nor is it a big corporate law firm. It's a South Beach bar. People come here to let their hair down a little. I know you want to be professional, but it wouldn't hurt if you could do the same," Troy smirked.

Gabriella had her back facing him again, her hands resting on the bar counter steadying herself. Troy wanted to reach out and actually physically let her hair loose from its restraints and watch it tumble down her beautiful smooth skinned back. But, of course, he would do no such thing.

She turned on her heel and spewed, "Great, so now I'm uptight too! You know Troy, I do let loose and have fun. I just do it on my own personal time, not on work time. Unlike you, flaunting yourself to any woman who will let you into her pants." She walked past him and brushed his shoulder, that familiar feeling of warmth shooting down her upper arm. She was losing control of her emotions and saying too much. She needed to extricate herself from this place as soon as possible.

Troy grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him. With his other hand he placed it over his heart in an effort to mock that her words had deeply wounded him. "Gabriella, that hurt," he said in a brilliantly cool tone of voice. What he really wanted to do was to throw her across that bar and fuck her until she begged his forgiveness.

In the meantime, Gabriella had set her wrist free from his grasp and was calmly straightening up her papers and neatly placing them back in her soft sided flat leather bag. She abhorred briefcases and had found this lovely Prada bag that suited her much better. Her breathing was more settled but his taking of her wrist had sent her nerves tingling and she couldn't let Troy see her becoming any more unhinged by him. He was too perceptive.

"Troy, I think we've covered enough ground for today. Thanks for bringing in all those reports. I don't want to keep you here any longer and I've got a couple of more errands to look after. Enjoy the rest of your day off." Gabriella said trying to regain her composure, her voice trailing after her as she walked away.

As she was leaving, she reached up and removed the pin that was holding up her ebony locks, and let her hair fall down gracefully over her shoulders.

Troy shook his head and smiled saying aloud but out of her earshot, "Touché, Gabriella. Touché." _Fucking incredible, he thought._

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Back at her penthouse, Gabriella poured herself a glass of Pinot Noir and began drawing herself a soothing bath. She sprinkled in a few grains of scented salts.

She found a basket of strawberries in the fridge and rinsed them off, dropping them into a small white bowl. She cut herself a couple of small wedges of brie cheese and gently placed them on top of the berries. This would have to do for dinner tonight, she thought. She had no desire to go out or to fix herself anything more complicated.

The bath was filled enough so she stripped out of her tank and white trouser jeans. She unclasped her lace bra and let it fall to the ground and gently slid her boy cut lace panties down her thighs, falling to her ankles. She stepped out of them and clipped up her hair into a high ponytail. She lowered herself into the bath, the heat tingling against her skin. She let her body fall to the back edge of the soaker tub and nestle into the formed seat. She took a sip of her wine and closed her eyes.

After she left the bar, she had stopped by a couple of photography studios to check out their work. One of them had some very unique images that she considered suitable for The Oasis. She talked rental fees with the owner/artist but she still wanted to see more galleries before she made her decision. She was pleased with her efficiency in implementing the few changes she already had so she didn't feel the need to rush.

She took a larger gulp from her glass and reached over and pinched a strawberry between her thumb and forefinger. She rolled it over a couple of times before bringing it to her lips and taking a bite. She held it up again and she let a line of juice run down her forearm. Her thoughts, for some reason, drifted to Troy and she imagined his tongue on her skin, licking away the sweet strawberry juice. She sat up a little, letting her breasts come out of the water slightly. She squeezed the strawberry so that more liquid dripped onto her chest. Again, Troy's tongue was softly darting between her cleavage, then grazing her nipples until lightly biting down with his teeth….

At that thought, her eyes shot wide open. "God, what are you doing, Gabriella?" she said aloud, slightly panicked. "You cannot do this." She slunk back down into the water and rubbed off the sticky red juice. She stood up, grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself. Going back and forth with him was making her crazy and so strangely hot. Normally that would make for amazing foreplay which would lead to even better sex but that was a situation that could never be in the cards. She needed to seriously get her shit together before she ended up giving in to her womanly needs and fucking him senseless. Damn, she needed a distraction.

She slipped on some pajama pants and a tank top and decided to read instead. _"Pride and Prejudice" will do just fine, she thought. I need a healthy injection of Elizabeth Bennet right about now. _

Gabriella climbed into bed and pulled her comforter close around her body. She breathed a sigh of relief as those familiar opening lines welcomed her home. Her face relaxed and she melted into the text. All thoughts of Troy Bolton were pushed aside and replaced by the sharp witted intelligence of her favorite heroine.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hey everyone. I've been away for 2 weeks without a computer. Thanks to everyone for your great reviews.

Chapter 7

Troy had been unable to shake his mind of a certain gorgeous but feisty brunette. After meeting with Gabriella at The Oasis on Monday, he had stayed around a bit longer to finish looking things over, all the while running through their conversation and her body language in his head. He was undecided on how to handle things with her.

His first option was to keep things completely professional, no more sexually leading remarks. Yeah, scratch that option right away. There was no way in hell that would be possible. Next, he could keep things largely professional but continue this game of flirtations and teasing and have fun with just that. She was trying so hard to be straight with him, but he could see the effect he was having on her and he took satisfaction in that. Not to mention the effect she was having on him. No woman had ever lingered in his thoughts like she had been and he hadn't had sex with her. Hell, he hadn't even kissed or hardly touched her. However, he was positive she was an absolute firecracker in bed.

His third option was the most complicated – get her into bed with him. He could continue as usual with the women that came into the bar and see if it inspired her jealousy. She would be so insanely fired up watching him take woman after woman instead of her that one night after work she would grab him and fuck the living daylights out of him. Then, they'd have the sex out of their systems and they could carry on working together. The flip side of that is she could be completely turned off by his behavior. He was sure Gabriella wasn't lacking for sexual partners so no matter how attractive she might find him, if he acted like a complete asshole with these other women, she could completely blow him off altogether. She definitely wasn't his usual easy lay.

He would probably just have to risk it. He wasn't about to turn into some celibate romantic fool just so that he could screw Gabriella one time.

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Tuesday came and The Oasis was open for business under the new management arrangement. Rebecca had been scheduled to work, so Gabriella stepped into hostess duties that night. It gave her the opportunity to introduce herself to the customers and invite comments. Troy had to admit that he really admired the initiatives she was taking and the work she was prepared to do to. This wasn't one of those situations where the rich dad buys the spoiled daughter a bar and she just uses it as her own private party central. Gabriella was serious about this place and she was jumping in with both feet.

The bar was slightly busier than normal for a Tuesday evening, so the two of them did not have much chance to interact. Troy could not keep his eyes off Gabriella though, with the way she was dressed. She wore a black above the knee dress which would have been backless except for the small straps that criss-crossed over her back from her shoulder blades to her waist. It was elegant but edgy and extremely sexy. A few times he eyed her crouching down to pick up a fallen menu and the bottom hem of her dress would creep up well past mid thigh. Her perfectly toned and supple legs were like beacons to him and he had to adjust his hardened package more than once over the evening. He watched her laughing with clients and expertly maneuvering through the crowd with grace. All things considered, however, he wasn't so preoccupied that he hadn't managed to snag himself a light brown haired beauty who he would be taking home at the end of the night. He hadn't had sex since Friday and with all this sexual energy between him and Gabriella, he was primed and horny.

Gabriella unwittingly discovered Troy's soon to be sex vixen in their private office, where Troy had sent her to wait for him. She walked in and discovered Charlene perched on the desk, legs spread wide enough for Gabriella to know that she was not the intended receiver of that view.

"Jesus Christ," exclaimed Gabriella, "what the hell are you doing in here?"

"Waiting for Troy, of course," responded Charlene, unchanging in her demeanor or body position.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her. "Of course you are," said Gabriella coyly and staring Charlene straight in the face. "While you wait, I might suggest that you remove your smarmy ass from my desk and try a chair instead."

"Could you let Troy know I'm here? I've been waiting for awhile," Charlene naively implored.

Anger rising, Gabriella sharply retorted, "Honey, I am not Troy's messenger service. I am his boss." She began to walk out but turned slightly back and said smugly, "If Troy is in need of his regular servicing, I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about you. I'd tell you to keep your panties on, but obviously you left them at home tonight."

Gabriella walked briskly to the front of the bar, blowing out a few breaths to calm herself. She could not let Troy see how this interaction had affected her. Of course, she had not expected him to change his ways and she had asked him to be more discrete; so sending this skank to the back office might have seemed like a reasonable solution to him rather than having her hanging all over the bar counter. Gabriella could still not help being affronted by Charlene's undisguised exhibition.

Troy was just locking the front door behind the straggling last few customers. The waitresses were cashing out. She watched him stroll back behind the bar, seeming not to have a care in the world, to finish tidying and adding up the receipts for the bank deposit. Again, he was effortlessly sexy in his appearance. His black t-shirt clung to his perfectly muscular arms and his chestnut brown hair casually swept across his forehead. The angle of his jaw framed his face so flawlessly.

"Strength Gabriella, strength," she muttered under her breath as she neared her destination.

Troy looked up and his lips curled up at the vision across the marble counter top. "Pretty busy tonight," he said, stating the obvious. "You seemed like a pro working the crowd. I wouldn't have guessed the rich owner's daughter to take so easily to hard work," he said, in an effort to harass her.

"How perfectly chauvinistic of you, Troy," Gabriella sniggered. "You really know how to warm a woman's heart with your prejudice. Am I the only one who is so lucky to receive this particular brand of charm?" she continued, her voice edged with malice while her eyes trailed over his sturdy shoulders, watching him wipe down the taps and sinks.

"Only you, Gabriella," Troy winked, an action that caused Gabriella's stomach to flutter lightly.

He had now sat down to count out the cash and add the credit card receipts. His fingers flew over the buttons of the adding machine. Within minutes, he was done and everything went into a zipped envelope that would be dropped in the night deposit slot or taken to the bank the next day.

"Troy, I'm sure you haven't forgotten, but you've got a woman in heat in the back office," Gabriella said sharply, rather proud of her choice of words.

Troy looked up and chuckled, his sparkling cobalt eyes burning into Gabriella's dark brown ones, "you've met, I take it?"

"You could call it that," Gabriella retorted. "I got a little more of an eyeful than I cared for. I don't think you'll need to use much energy on that one," she added, spitefully.

"Now Gabriella, that was a little uncourteous," Troy continued, standing up and stretching his arms in front of him with his fingers intertwined. "Who's jumping to conclusions now?"

"Believe me, Troy. She's not a multilayered person. She was practically lying across the desk waiting for you to do her right there," Gabriella answered flippantly. "That is not a suggestion to take me up on, by the way. I'd have to burn the desk if you did." She made the last comment with a smile and tossed her head as she swiveled in the barstool away from him.

"Don't you worry your lovely locks, Gabriella. I promised Charlene a night in Troy's love den," he teased.

Gabriella wrinkled up her nose. "Ew! Ok, lover boy. Time for you to go because your testosterone is leaking out all over the place," and pushed him towards the back.

At that moment, there was a knock at the front door. Gabriella turned and a sly grin took over lips. "Perfect timing," she uttered.

She walked over and unlocked the door and snaked her arms around the neck of a boyishly handsome man who looked a little familiar to Troy. He then recognized him as the guy whom Gabriella had danced with the second night she had visited The Oasis. She had met him at a coffee shop on Monday before she visited the photo gallery and she told him to meet her here after closing.

She didn't actually plan on having him come while Troy was still here, but now she considered his arrival to be the perfect anecdote to the current situation. Troy was far too full of himself and far be it for Gabriella to let him believe he was the only one with needs to be met.

His hands ran smoothly over her shoulders and down her arms before he placed a slow kiss on her lips to which Gabriella willingly responded but ended shortly by pulling away first. She whispered something in his ear and turned back towards Troy, making her way over to him.

"Gabriella, I'm surprised. I thought you didn't mix business with pleasure," Troy said quietly, cocking his eyebrow at her playfully. "I distinctly remember you dancing with this guy the other night. I would say that constitutes flaunting. You're busted, sweetheart."

"You are incorrect, Troy. When I was dancing the other night, I was here as a patron myself," she responded cagily. "I met Antonio again getting coffee yesterday" she hissed with self-satisfaction through her teeth. "I guess neither one of us is going home alone tonight."

Troy looked her over and masked his irritation completely. "Enjoy yourself, baby. Don't forget to let that hair down a little. Antonio looks eager," he chided. "You wouldn't want to disappoint him."

"I wouldn't say disappointment is a feeling Antonio is likely to be experiencing tonight, Troy," Gabriella quietly laughed. "I'll lock the front door behind me if you could set the alarm in the back?" she blithely asked while her coltish legs carried her back to the entrance. With her arm locked with Antonio, she looked back at Troy to see him staring. "_Damn, he looks sexy," she thought. _She licked her lips and flashed him a coy smile, "See you tomorrow night."

Troy grinned as he watched her enticing tongue glide over the outline of her beautiful lips. She was up for it. "_Game on," he said to himself._

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Troy awoke the next morning with one purpose. Get out of the apartment and try to clear his head. He gently eased out of bed, quietly slid open his dresser drawer and grabbed his running clothes. He tiptoed out of the bedroom and slipped into his shorts, t-shirt and running shoes and grabbed himself a quick glass of orange juice. Then the light bulb in his head came on and he realized he would have company when he came back, unless he found some way to deal with it. He jotted down a note to Charlene and placed it on top of her purse where she would definitely find it. It read, "I have gone for a long run. Please help yourself to some juice or fruit or whatever you can find. You can let yourself out. I have a key." If she wasn't completely ignorant, she should be able to get the message.

Troy did a light jog down to the beach path and stretched a bit before launching into his full run. Running was so therapeutic for him. If he was at his apartment, he usually had paperwork or studying to do, so these early morning runs were really the only time he had to just let his thoughts run without interruption.

What he couldn't get past at the moment was how Gabriella's face kept appearing while he was having sex with Charlene. Even when he closed his eyes, he kept envisioning what it would be like to have Gabriella's hot body beneath him, thrusting into her, instead of Charlene's. He had never fantasized about another woman when he was with someone before because he was usually fully engaged with what was happening. He had to admit that it shook him up a little.

He looked at his surroundings and realized that he had doubled the length that he normally ran. He decided he had better turn back. Just to be sure that he wouldn't encounter Charlene still in his apartment; he would have breakfast at the bakery down the block from his place. He knew his attitude was selfish but he really didn't like the whole morning after thing. Most women were pretty cool, and if they weren't they didn't show it, but occasionally he had to be more obvious about not expecting anything more from him. Dealing with that was a pain in the ass.

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Gabriella rolled over and was grateful to see that the other side of the bed was empty. "_Thank God," she thought. _She was pretty sure that Antonio had gotten up and left in the middle of the night but she wasn't positive that she wasn't dreaming. It was a weeknight after all, and Antonio would need to have access to a shower and fresh clothes before work.

Gabriella got up and made her way to the kitchen. She found a note from her lover: _You are beautiful. Call me. _This was followed by his phone number. She crumpled up the note and threw it away. Yep, the sex was good, but second dates were out of the question, if you could even call what they had a "date."

Gabriella checked the fridge and was happy to find some yogurt and sliced mango. She sat down with her breakfast and thought back to her night with Antonio, not quite with the satisfaction that she should. She had been quite sexually aggressive with him, almost angry in her hunger. Other than the kiss they shared at the bar in front of Troy, she hadn't allowed Antonio to kiss her on the lips again. She was completely craving a sexual release but desperately trying to keep things less personal with Antonio; why? The answer was clear: Troy. Back at her penthouse, as Antonio kissed down her neck and over her chest, she felt Troy's lips on her instead. She had pushed Antonio onto the bed and asked him to take her from behind. Not having to look in his eyes, she closed her own and felt Troy pushing into her instead. Was she going crazy?

How was she going to manage this situation? She was totally attracted to him but having sex with him was out of the question because she would have to continue working with him and she couldn't predict the aftermath. She couldn't find another bartender because that would be suicide for the bar. Should she tell her father that she couldn't continue with the job he had given her? What reason could she give? A guy? No fucking way.

She was used to being in total control of her surroundings and feelings. _"Gabriella Montez, dig down deep. You can do this. You have never let a man control you before and there's no reason to start." _No reason, except for the sexiest pair of drowning blue eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Gabriella arrived at The Oasis on Wednesday afternoon to meet with a couple of applicants who were interested in taking the new opening for hostess. Both were referrals from girls currently working at the bar.

The first one, Jenny, was a complete write-off. Heavy make-up, breasts that were hardly contained within her tiny tank top and badly bleached blonde hair were the triumvirate of distaste for Gabriella. The interview barely lasted a minute long; Gabriella rolled her eyes and rubbed her temples as Jenny stalked out of The Oasis; her cheap high heels clicking across the floor, grating on Gabriella's last nerve.

Luckily, the second girl, Tara, was a welcome relief compared to Jenny and offered potential. She appeared to have decent grooming and moderate taste, something Gabriella could work with. The nail polish was a little gaudy but passable. Gabriella perused her resume and offered her the position and asked if she could start the next night, with the understanding that she was on probation. She could be fired without notice or severance pay during her probationary period. Gabriella explained the dress code and other issues she had worked out with the other female employees. Tara agreed and excitedly shook Gabriella's hand before exiting. "At least she's eager," Gabriella thought.

Troy walked in as Tara was leaving and Gabriella caught him giving Tara the once over with his wandering eyes. Tara had looked up at him and blushed at his attention. "God, Troy. Can your eyes ever not be lured by anything wearing a pair of stilettos?" Gabriella asked once he was inside the bar, her eyes wide with annoyance.

"You act like that's a bad thing," Troy responded, smiling and gesturing his hands in a _who me?_ type of way. "What's the matter, sweetheart? Are you jealous? Because you shouldn't be." Troy said, finishing his last statement with a wink.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Gabriella gasped and clasped her hands to chest. "I feel so much better when I'm compared to a mindless, big breasted bimbo who would probably spread her legs for anyone."

Troy stood staring at her with a clever sparkle in his eye while Gabriella continued her tirade, "Thanks Troy, but I don't need your _flattery._"

"Yes, well. You have, what was his name…Alfonso?...around for that don't you?" Troy said, trying to up the ante by bringing up their previous night's partners.

"Yes, _**Antonio**_was lovely but I got what I needed from him so you are incorrect about me having him around." Gabriella informed him, which gave Troy a big piece of information about Gabriella and her lovers.

"_Mmm. Seems like she and I share similar philosophies. This arrangement is getting better every day." _Troy thought to himself and ran his tongue over his bottom lip in the process.

Gabriella spied his luscious tongue once again and her breathing hitched a little. "Well, that girl was the new hostess so I expect you to behave yourself and keep your zipper zipped," Gabriella snapped and began searching her purse for her phone. She wanted to contact another gallery she had stopped in at on the way over to see if they could bring in some photographs the next day.

Troy chuckled and walked towards the counter of the bar. _"Oh yeah, she is so hot for me," _he said to himself. His weekly liquor order was supposed to arrive soon and he wanted to get his order sheet out so he could check it as it was unloaded.

As Troy looked over the order to confirm what should be in the shipment, he watched Gabriella glide around the bar as she was laughing and talking on the phone. He didn't really pay attention what she was saying but he could tell she was speaking with sweetness and authority at the same time. It was a brilliant way of getting what you wanted but still making the other person feel like they were coming out on top. He knew this was a great skill to have in the business world.

Gabriella's slim fitting jersey t-shirt tucked into her black trousers accentuated her trim waist and toned abdominal muscles. He found it incredibly sexy that even though she was petite, she wasn't lacking in gentle curves. Her body reflected her personality. Strong and forceful combined with elegance and softness. Troy was sure Gabriella didn't want him to see the softness, but he knew it was there. Right now, he could only imagine the fiery passion that he could ignite in her. He imagined her forcefully pushing him down on his bed but then taking him in her mouth and stroking him ever so gently with her tongue…

At that moment, the delivery man knocked on the back door and Troy was snapped back to reality. Luckily for him, Troy was standing behind the counter when he acknowledged his erection straining against his pants. He jogged to the back of the bar to get the door. He cheerfully greeted Sam, the delivery guy and propped open the door with a nearby cement block. They started unloading boxes together. Troy liked to keep up this kind of relationship with Sam. Sure, he didn't have to unload the boxes. He could just stand there and check things off. But, if something was missing from the order, Sam was more likely to make the Oasis a priority on the return trip due to Troy's good nature.

After a couple of trips, sweat was already gathering on Troy's brow. Gabriella had taken a seat again and was checking emails on her phone. She looked up and noticed Troy's flexed, rock hard biceps as his arms carried the heavy boxes of wine and other alcohol from the back of the bar to the front. The hairs on the back of his neck were a little wet from the exertion. She noted his broad shoulders as he walked to the back for one last trip and imagined that if his arms looked that good, his back and chest were probably just as perfectly formed. Finally, her eyes landed on his gorgeous ass and caught herself before almost letting out a lusty sigh which Troy most certainly would have heard. Everything about him was so unbelievably desirable; it just wasn't fair. It was a grave injustice that she couldn't take him home for just one night and let him do with her whatever he wanted and vice versa. Gabriella felt flush and a little tingling and warmth at her core. _"Damn it Gabriella. This isn't like you, girl. You're acting like a horny teenager. You just got laid last night for God's sakes."_

Troy had that sixth sense that Gabriella was watching him but he decided not to embarrass her by calling her on it. As fun as it was to get under her collar and make her flustered, he knew she would have her limits and he didn't want this little game of theirs to end before it had only just begun.

Putting the last box down, he decided to drum up a pleasant conversation while he put the bottles away. "So, Gabriella. I don't really know anything about you. Have you always lived in Miami?" he began. Busy with his task, the question sounded very natural. Different than if he was sitting across from her, staring her down. Gabriella ever so slightly let her defenses down.

"Well, my father's business has been based here for the last 5 years but I only moved here 1 year ago myself." Gabriella responded, making her way over to the counter and taking a seat.

"What kept you away from the sunny beaches of Miami for the past four years then?" Troy asked, genuinely curious. He thought maybe her parents might be divorced and had been living with her mother.

"Finishing my education," Gabriella said, resting her elbows on the bar. Her position allowed Troy a slight glimpse of her lovely cleavage but he tried to keep his eyes averted.

"Really. Let me guess. You were taking a hospitality class or something and now daddy's letting you test your wings." Troy said, knowing he was stirring up something, but not having any idea how much.

"Hospitality? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Gabriella sharply replied, her hands coming down flat on top of the counter. "You don't know me Troy. How dare you pass me off as some dumb debutante taking a class for a lark at a community college?"

"Sorry, sorry. Calm down, Gabriella. Let's start over," Troy said, trying to smooth the brewing tension. He caught her eye and tried to regain what little trust was starting to build between them.

"My degree is in literature, Troy. Specifically, Romantic literature if you really want to know," Gabriella stated, her shoulders still tense and slightly raised.

This was an area unfamiliar to Troy and he put his foot in his mouth again. "You don't really strike me as the mushy type, Gabriella."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Oh brother. Now _**you're**_starting to sound dumb, Troy. Romantic Literature isn't _**romance literature**_. You know, from the Romantic period? Authors and poets were being inspired by political freedom and the idealization of nature," Gabriella said, motioning her hands in the air in an effort to make him understand.

Suddenly, Troy was incredibly turned on by Gabriella. She was clearly a passionate person, and as had just been clearly revealed, she was remarkably intelligent. He couldn't believe a woman of her extreme beauty and sex appeal was also a bookworm. What he wouldn't give to dive across that counter and ravish those perfect breasts at that exact moment.

He cleared his throat and spoke, "You'll have to forgive me Gabriella. _**My**_ university studies in English were limited to what I needed to meet requirements."

Gabriella decided she needed to turn the questions away from her as she wasn't feeling ready to share more about herself quite yet. "So…Troy. What was your area of study?"

Troy continued carefully placing the wine bottles in their respective places on the racks while answering, "Well, I'm not done yet. I'm currently working on completing my MBA."

Gabriella raised her eyebrows in interest. He was definitely more educated than she gave him credit for. "A Master's degree? How do you find time to study? You work every day."

"I get by, Gabriella. Lots of people have to support themselves through university. Not everyone has rich parents to pay their way," Troy said, knowing he was probably striking a sensitive area. It wasn't her fault that she was born into money. But, he hadn't liked her picking at him for not knowing what Romantic Literature studies were.

Gabriella sighed at Troy's judgmental comment. "Just when I thought we were starting to get along, you have to pull the rich princess card. Fine, have it your way," she grumbled. Since she had seen that expensive watch on his wrist, she hadn't thought he'd raise the issue of money with her.

Of course, since Troy was previously on academic scholarship, he hadn't really needed to work as much as he did during his undergraduate studies. But, working afforded him a better lifestyle. Now, completing his masters and paying for his courses and books, he didn't have quite the same cash flow, but he made more than enough to keep him afloat. Gabriella knew nothing of any of this, but that was irrelevant at this point in time. He could toy with her as much as he wanted.

Gabriella had pushed herself away from the bar and straightened out her trousers. "Since you think I can't possibly relate to you because I'm much too rich to understand the plight of the working student, I might as well go look over some things in the private office." She marched off towards the back of the bar.

Troy smirked and let her go without a fight. As much as he didn't mind the distraction of her luscious breasts to make the afternoon go faster, he had more work to do after he was finished putting the booze away. He wasn't minding her company but he was getting a bit exhausted coming up with clever comebacks and keeping his guard up. He wasn't used to a lot of conversation that happened with the women he spent time with and Gabriella was a challenge.

Once he had finished with the bottles, he worked on getting all his garnishes ready for the evening. Lemon and lime wedges, curls, olives, celery sticks, mint leaves: everything was ready. Next on the list, pay some invoices.

Troy headed back towards the private office where the invoices were kept. When he arrived at the door, he was met with an entertaining but magnificent vision. Gabriella was precariously perched on a chair and reaching up to the light fixture, obviously changing the light bulb. Her t-shirt had become untucked with her arms lifted over her head and her exquisite lower torso was exposed to him since she was facing the door.

"What's this?" he mused, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed the front of his chest, "the rich princess, your words not mine, is risking breaking a nail to change a light bulb? What has happened to the state of society?"

"What the fuck, Troy? Can you pass me the light bulb and I'll give you the burnt out one?" Gabriella answered back, exasperated at his incessant cockiness.

Now he was going to milk it. "You seem to be doing quite fine, princess. Although, I might have considered getting out of those four inch heels before climbing up on a…." his sentence cut off by Gabriella's shriek.

Gabriella lost her balance and was falling backwards. Troy rushed behind her to catch her. One arm ended up bracing her waist and the other hand was most unmistakably cupping one of her breasts.

Intentional or not, Troy couldn't resist the humor in this situation. "If you wanted me to feel you up sweetheart, you could have just asked," he whispered huskily against Gabriella's ear.

"God dammit Troy, put me down and let go of me," Gabriella screeched. The feel of his lips and breath on her ear was certainly more scintillating than the current placement of his hand, but the situation was completely ridiculous.

Troy made sure she had her feet securely on the ground and dropped his hands, a huge grin plastered across his face. "Come on now, Gabriella. You have to admit that was pretty funny," he chuckled.

"We definitely don't share the same brand of humor if you found that funny," Gabriella said, her breathing still irregular after the fright of nearly crashing to the ground. "I could have hurt myself. As for where your hand fortunately found itself, I had better groping when I was sixteen."

"Very funny," Troy responded jokingly. "Next time, if you're feeling industrious like that again, there is a step ladder in the kitchen that would be much safer."

Gabriella caught Troy's eye and realized that she should probably be a bit more gracious. "Thanks for catching me, Troy. It was pretty stupid of me to climb up on a chair like that."

Troy winked and flashed a cocky grin at her, "No problem at all, princess."

Gabriella flinched at his teasing. "Terrific, am I stuck with that now?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," Troy responded as he pushed the chair back into its proper place and left to retrieve the stepladder from the kitchen so he could finish the job of changing the bulb.

Gabriella called after Troy, "I'm going to head home to get changed for tonight. I'll see you later Troy."

"Ok, but put something sexy on for me, will you?" Troy playfully called back from the kitchen.

"Fuck off, Bolton. I knew I couldn't trust you to be a gentleman for too long," Gabriella bellowed back, just as Troy was exiting the kitchen and making his way back to the office, stepladder in hand.

"Just trying to be consistent for you, boss. I wouldn't want you getting the wrong idea that I might be a nice guy after all," Troy said, handily returning the stinging banter.

"Later, Troy." Gabriella said, having the last word. She stepped out of the back of the bar and leaned against the closed door, thinking of what she could wear that would knock Troy's socks off.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was now Thursday. Gabriella never did return to The Oasis that evening as planned. Her father had called and wanted to get together for dinner to get an update on how his latest investment was doing.

Gabriella was excited to tell him about what she had done so far at the bar. Her father asked about the employees and she told him about the dress code changes, the firing of Rebecca and the hiring of a new hostess. Javier Montez seemed pleased with his daughter's sharp instincts regarding the staff. Finally, Gabriella told her father about Troy Bolton but tried to keep things as neutral as she could. She didn't want her father to think that some guy was challenging her and that she wasn't up for it.

Gabriella explained that she thought it was best if she worked more in a partnership role with him because he seemed to be a vital asset to the establishment and the patrons and staff respected him. She also expressed that he was actually doing a very good job at what he was doing and she felt that if she rocked the boat, there was no guarantee he would stay. Keeping the status quo was good for continuity. Her strengths did not lie in mundane things like bookkeeping and paying bills and he managed these tasks with expertise. She admitted that he was a bit of a lady killer in the way he behaved with women but that all seemed to be good for business so it would be something she would have to keep a close tab on.

Her father noted that her voice became a little more edgy and her eyes shifted down to her food a little while discussing Troy. These were minor details and Javier knew enough of his daughter to know that she could stand her ground with any man, so he let his observations pass, except for one comment that he felt was rather important. "Well, I will have to pay a visit some evening soon and watch my brilliant daughter in action. Well done Gabriella; it seems you have things very much under control."

Gabriella smiled back at him, happy that he was proud of her.

Then Javier continued with the point he was really trying to make, "Although, I do want you to become familiar with the books and invoices and those less appealing responsibilities. They are part of being a manager and I want to make sure there is a second pair of eyes belonging to someone I know and trust looking things over," Javier smiled as he grasped his daughter's hands across the table. "Don't be afraid to let this Troy Bolton know who the boss is, if it comes down to it."

Gabriella squared her sparkling eyes at her father, "I would love for you to come, Daddy. And don't worry;" she assured him with a spontaneous smirk, "I can handle Troy Bolton just fine."

Javier winked endearingly and gave his daughter's hands an extra squeeze, "Well, you wouldn't be my Gabriella if you couldn't."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabriella had phoned Troy yesterday to let him know she wouldn't be coming in that evening. Charlie was the scheduled hostess so she didn't need to worry about the door not being covered.

Gabriella had arranged to meet with Tara, the new hostess, a little before her shift began to go over expectations and orient her around the bar. Tara had experience at other clubs and restaurants so there wasn't much for her to learn, except that Gabriella felt it pertinent that Tara understood The Oasis was a cut above other South Beach bars. They did not cater to the "Spring Break" kind of crowd. The clientele could be demanding and Gabriella expected grace under pressure.

During the orientation, Gabriella caught Tara sneaking glances at Troy as he prepped the bar for the evening. Tara had those innocent doe eyes and knew it would take virtually no effort for Troy to get what he wanted from her. Gabriella rolled her eyes and decided a warning may be necessary. "Tara, tread carefully there. I know Troy is charming and a very good looking guy. But, believe me; all you are to him is a statistic."

"You don't seem to have a high opinion of him, Ms. Montez," replied Tara, looking at her questioningly.

"I have an exceedingly high opinion of him as a bartender, Tara. That's why he's employed here. But that has nothing to do with my opinion of him with respect to women," said Gabriella, looking back and forth between Troy and Tara with a ping of an emotion that was foreign to her body.

"I can handle myself Ms. Montez; but thanks anyway," said Tara, somewhat flippantly,

"Suit yourself, Tara. I just thought I'd fill you in since you're new," Gabriella said blandly while shrugging her shoulders and fighting the urge to call her on her borderline tramp tendencies based on the "come screw me" looks she was shooting over to Troy.

Troy had inkling that they might be discussing him. He shot Tara some cheeky smiles now and again, knowing full well it was getting under Gabriella's skin. He admired Gabriella's "mother hen" nature towards her female employees but he had more confidence in his own charisma than her attempts to protect them from the big bad bartender.

Besides, Gabriella was pushing Troy's sex drive to the limit with what she was wearing tonight. It was like she had taken his joking challenge seriously from the day before to wear something appealing for him. She looked absolutely stunning and so unbelievably fuckable in her cuffed white short dress shorts and killer high heels; the expanse of skin showing off her legs was captivating. Then, the icing on the cake was what she wore on top. She had on a one shoulder black tank style top. The neck and straps were edged with gold grommets. It wasn't tight fitting but still showed the definition between her breasts and her tiny waist. Just having one shoulder bare was enough for him to imagine what her entire upper body would look like bare. Was she doing this for him or was this just her? He could hardly stand it but decided not to fight it and enjoy the view.

Within a couple of hours the bar was busy to capacity and Tara was handling herself quite well. Gabriella was quite pleased that she had a good intuition about hiring her. The person she was more concerned with was Troy. He was in full flirtation mode and Gabriella was actually quite shocked at how obvious he was being. She noticed him signal Tara over to the bar a few times during the evening and say something that was apparently funny or flattering to her. A couple of times, he would playfully touch her hand. Seeing this made Gabriella tingle with aggravation or annoyance; or at least that's what she attributed it to.

Meanwhile, Troy made sure he was maintaining eye contact with Gabriella as well, which was not a difficult thing to do since she was sending him plenty of looks. On top of that, Troy got some prime views of the under cleavage of Gabriella's firm ass when she bent over a couple of times during the course of the evening. He was so primed by her and she had no idea the effect she was having on him.

Tara didn't overtly flirt back but it was clear to Gabriella that Tara was already under Troy's spell as she predicted. Troy was definitely toying with Gabriella by flirting with Tara but he had other motives. He was totally turned on by his sexy, but for now, inviolable boss, and Tara was a handy substitute.

Gabriella decided it was time to send down a decree against Troy's maneuvering manners. She made her way over to the bar, being stopped now and again by extremely attractive corporate type men. She definitely stood out in the crowd and looked the perfect counterpart to these Gucci-suited young financiers. She had that high class, untouchable air about her. A slight pang of envy raced through Troy's veins at the status these men held and what he may apparently lack in Gabriella's esteem.

Gabriella slipped behind the bar so she could talk to Troy without anyone overhearing. "Troy, I can see what's happening between you and Tara and I want you to stop," said Gabriella, feeling sure that Troy knew exactly what she was referring to. "You know she's putty in your hands so why don't you cast your line elsewhere?"

Troy cocked his head and ran his icy blue eyes down Gabriella's thighs and back up again, crossing his arms across his chest. "You take a strong interest in which women I give or don't give attention to, Gabriella. Shouldn't you be more concerned with your many admiring male customers and keeping them happy?"

Gabriella pursed her lips together and spoke, "Troy we discussed this about you being discrete. And I take particular issue with you feeling the need to break in our new hostess."

"I don't think anyone else is paying any attention whatsoever to what I am doing besides you. Tara is a big girl, Gabriella." He placed his hand on the small of her back and started pushing her out from behind the bar. She felt his fingers curl around her side and her skin tingled where he contacted her. "Now, you take those luscious long legs of yours and go mingle like you're supposed to. I'll keep mixing drinks for all these well paying people and we'll both make this bar lots of money, Ok?"

"Stop patronizing me," Gabriella exclaimed, whipping her head around and staring into his penetrating eyes. "I'm not here to give fucking lap dances, Troy. I'm here to manage this bar and you'll take kindly to remember that I'm your boss," she hissed and stalked away.

Gabriella's fiery personality and quick mouth had Troy's brain flooded with an image of Gabriella naked and draped across his lap and grinding her pelvis into his groin, her pert breasts dangerously close to his lips and he became instantly hard at the thought. He grabbed a piece of ice and placed it on the back of his neck to cool himself off, even though it would serve its purpose better if he shoved it down his pants.

Gabriella spent the better part of the rest of the evening in the private office trying to familiarize herself with some of the suppliers and services used by the bar by looking over the files of invoices and statements. She absolutely hated this stuff. She poked her head out once in awhile to see how things were going, but to be quite honest, she was tired of watching Troy flirt without inhibition.

It was now past closing and Gabriella's ears picked up some muffled sounds but assumed it was the chef finishing up in the kitchen and the staff saying goodbye so she temporarily ignored the noises. She took a sip from her glass of water and tried to focus. This time she heard the sound of shuffling feet and a hushed giggle, almost as if a hand was trying to stifle it. She stood up and looked both ways down the hallway. The sound was definitely coming from the women's bathroom. Thinking it may be a couple of stray customers, she went to investigate.

She flung open the door and discovered Tara propped up on the counter, blouse undone, head thrown back and skirt hiked with her legs wrapped around Troy's torso. His pants were around his ankles and he was well beyond rounding 3rd base. From the heavy breathing and guttural moan that was erupting from his mouth, Gabriella knew she had walked in on the moment of truth for Troy. She was completely horrified.

She turned around so she didn't have to face the embarrassing scene and her anger spilled out. "Un-fucking-believable! I wasn't aware this bathroom served purposes other than what it was intended for. Tara, consider your probationary period over because you're fired."

Gabriella marched back to the office and tried to collect herself. She knew she'd have to deal with Troy and she wasn't quite sure how to do it. She sat back down at the desk and tried to distract herself with the piles of papers she was pouring over before. She couldn't erase the image of Troy's perfect bare hard ass thrusting away. She took a huge gulp from her glass of water as this arousing thought clouded her thinking.

The door to the office opened and Gabriella looked up to see her playboy bartender propped up against the doorframe, with a sheepish grin on his lips. "Firing Tara on the spot was a little harsh wasn't it Gabriella?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Talk about getting caught with your hands in the cookie jar. God, Troy. That didn't take long did it?" she spat as she pounded her fist on the desk. "She was here, what, 6 hours and you had your pants down. I thought you said you had discerning taste."

"You're the one that hired her, you tell me." Troy responded, unflinching.

"Contrary to your ego-inflated beliefs Troy, I didn't hire Tara so that I could run a private escort service for you. She wasn't for you to test drive." Gabriella was entirely exasperated but feeling up for a fight.

Troy had made his way behind the desk and leaned down. He whispered seductively in her ear, "Are you sure you're not just pissed that I wasn't making _you _moan on that bathroom counter?"

Gabriella placed her hands firmly on the desk and pushed herself up to a standing position, heat filling her core. Troy placed his hands on her hips and breathed into her neck, "I make you hot and you can't stand it."

She turned and faced him, passion and fury overtaking her. "_Fuck him for being so damn presumptuous, fuck him for being so damn cocky, fuck him for being so damn sexy and fuck, fuck, fuck him for being so damn right,"_ _she thought_ as she brought her hand up to connect with his cheek in a forceful slap.

Troy brought his own palm to where his flesh now stung and a wide smirk crossed his lips. He had her. Gabriella felt her chest rising and falling rapidly as emotions of rage, desire and need shook her. She grabbed his head and crashed her lips on his and forcefully ran her tongue along his bottom lip. Troy relished in the pleasure of this heated kiss, amazed that she had initiated it. He hungrily kissed her back, one hand wrapped around the back of her head, drawing it in tighter and the other on the small of her back, fingers splayed so that each finger tip was in contact with her body.

He backed her up and lifted her up onto the desk, not breaking contact with her lips. The one hand that was tangled up in her curls now moved down to her bare shoulder. He lightly ran his fingers over every inch of soft skin that was exposed, over her shoulder blade and down her arm. He had been dying to touch her all evening.

As Troy pressed his body to hers, Gabriella felt his hardness against her. His hand was caressing her thigh and started creeping up under her shorts. His touch felt so good but she snapped out of the trance that Troy was putting her in with his feathery touches and his passionate lips. Suddenly, the image of him pounding into Tara in the bathroom had come back to her, in a very bad way. She felt sick.

She disconnected her lips from his and violently pushed him off of her. No way was she going to be another score for him. "Troy, enough. This is a huge mistake," she said, her breathing coming in uneven pants as she licked her now swollen lips.

Troy stood back, also catching his breath, and admired her while she tried to regain her self control. "Why fight this, Gabriella? We both know what we want to happen."

"Troy, this is way too complicated and you should know that. You obviously don't see the conflict in mixing sex with work, so I have to be the rational one here," Gabriella stood with her small fists clenched, making her arm muscles flex with tension.

"You afraid I'm going to be too much for you to handle?" Troy said jokingly, refusing to get sucked in by Gabriella's intensity. Besides, she looked way too gorgeous right now trying to be tough.

"That's what I'm talking about Troy. If I have sex with you, then I am like all the other women you've been with. Just some trinket to have fun with and toss away in the morning," Gabriella explained, her arms crossed over her chest.

Troy grinned and he felt his insides ignite at her admission of the possibility of sleeping with him. "And you're not telling me that you don't treat your bedroom rendezvous' the same way?" Troy responded incredulously.

"I like the assumptions you make, but if you must know, yes, I do Troy. But, I don't face them the next day at work, and the day after that and so on," Gabriella said, getting frustrated with having to explain what seemed so simple to her. "A working relationship like ours has to be based on respect and I could never be sure I have your respect and vice versa once we have crossed that line."

"I promise to respect you in the morning, sweetheart," Troy chuckled. He had since taken a seat in the large office chair and was leaning back with his arms braced behind his head and legs stretched out in front of him.

"God, you are impossible," Gabriella huffed. "Troy, let's just forget this happened, ok?"

"Whatever you say, Gabriella. You're the boss," Troy said, looking purposefully disinterested gazing up at the ceiling, avoiding her eyes.

Gabriella read right through his arrogance. "And Troy, for the record, all future female employees are off limits to you. It is important that the staff see you as a person of authority and not someone to share locker room stories about on their breaks."

Troy rolled his eyes like a teenager who got busted for breaking curfew.

"If you can't see the inappropriateness of your actions with Tara tonight, I suggest you go back and re-read some of your business textbooks on management skills to freshen up," Gabriella exhaled as she gathered up her purse and walked out of the office.

Troy smirked and watched longingly as Gabriella's long ebony locks swished across her back and her gorgeous lanky legs took her out of his sight. _"Well, if you wouldn't arrive here looking like a fucking goddess every day, I wouldn't have to," he thought._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Author's note: I have to send a note of recognition to "angelonyourshoulder" who pointed out something fairly significant in the last chapter that I had maybe not given enough credence to, even in my own mind. Anyhow, it caused me to rewrite this chapter a little to reflect what she perceived in Gabriella's comment to Troy after she broke off the kiss. So, I have tried to give a little more window into both their minds so you guys aren't thinking that they are both just sex crazed for each other but that there is a hint of something more significant happening to them.**

Chapter 10

Gabriella arrived at The Oasis the next morning after her early hot yoga session. After last night's encounter with Troy, she could not keep from mentally beating herself up for losing grip on her actions. How could she let herself kiss him like that?

What almost bothered her more was that his kiss had stirred something deep in her. How could that be? She had never felt anything significant with any man she had been with. It was always about the sex and nothing else; fuck 'em and forget 'em were her words to live by. That was how she maintained control. Ironic for a girl with a passion for romantic literature. Perhaps her standards were set so high that it was better to keep her personal encounters on a more primal level. So many men had kissed her body and while their kisses had managed to ignite her sexual fire, there was never any deeper connection that was made. At this point she couldn't explain it and it was definitely a problem for her. She had hinted at it with the words she spoke to Troy after they kissed. There was no way she could allow herself to be a one night stand to him. She refused to be on the same level as his other liaisons. And when she really let herself think about it, it wasn't just for professional reasons alone. It was about more than just respect. But what was the reason? What else was she afraid of if she gave in to her desire?

The feel of Troy's lips on hers was both tender and velvety soft but sensually lustful at the same time. She had felt his desire as their lips met. He had touched her so gently on her shoulder and down her arm and up her thigh and she had shivered under this fingers. It was almost as though he revered her and dare not touch her other than with the most careful and delicate skill. Such a contrast to the harshness of what she had witnessed minutes before in the bathroom. Was there a sweet, sensitive guy lurking beneath that roguish exterior that he presented to the world? _"Don't let yourself get sucked in, Gabriella," she tried to convince herself._ _"You will not be manipulated by him. He is only about getting what he wants."_

All rational arguments aside, throughout her yoga session, her thoughts had been plagued with lustful thoughts Troy. Her body felt strong and limber and with every pose and she imagined it as a sex position. The heat in the studio was only intensified as she thought of what he would be like in bed. Just from the few inches of skin she had seen, particularly the rather large flash of flesh that was revealed the previous night, it didn't take much for Gabriella to deduce that Troy was in excellent shape physically and this was making her crazy. Clearly, yoga was not having the desired effect of easing her tension. Maybe she needed to take up kick boxing. She had heard that did wonders for getting rid of stress.

Regardless, she came into The Oasis, still feeling hot and bothered from everything that had happened in the last 48 hours, including her own wandering fantasies during yoga. She planned on taking a shower in the staff changing area at the bar and get back to looking over more files like her father had requested. The shower was a nice luxury that the previous owners had afforded their employees but it was rarely used. She let herself in the back door, punched in the security code, quickly checked the kitchen to see if the cook was there and found no one.

She entered the shower area and turned on the water to let it heat up. She sat down on the cedar bench, untied her running shoes and slipped them off. Next off came her yoga pants and hoodie. She stretched up high as the cool air nipped at her skin, which was still slightly sticky. She still had on the skimpiest shorts and sports bra. Minimal clothing was a must for hot yoga and Gabriella had the perfect body to model it.

Had Gabriella been able to hear the front door of the bar open and close, she might have thought to click the lock on the door leading into the shower room. The sound of the water hitting the tile floor and the glass wall of the shower drowned out the noise that would have alerted her otherwise. She imagined that she would be alone in the bar for at least another 2 hours before the cook would be in to start preparations for the evening so it didn't occur to her that anyone else would come in so early. She was so incorrect in that assumption.

Troy had come to the bar early, earlier than normal. He had had a rather restless sleep after going home from the bar last night. It had taken Troy awhile to move from his chair in the office after Gabriella had left. Her presence stayed with him long after her physical body had disappeared and Troy tried to sort out why.

First, she had remained on his lips. As soon as her full luscious ones had touched his, he was undone like he had never been before. He almost had drawn back at the surge he felt when their lips met but instead allowed his senses to be captivated by the softness and taste. What was that flavor? Any trace of lip gloss had long disappeared from Gabriella's lips by that time of night and yet her lips had the sweetest, faintly rose petal-ish taste.

Next the feeling of her skin on his fingertips had lingered. As he had allowed his fingers to wander down her arms and up her legs, he could not believe the way touching her almost took the life out of him. His knees had started to buckle slightly and he desperately wanted to toss her back on the desk so he could collapse on her and remove the weight from his legs. He resisted that temptation because he knew if he had any hope of being with her, he could not push her too hard or too fast.

This was the final and most haunting way she had stayed with him: in his thoughts. What was this need to be with her, this one woman, so badly? He had his pick of countless women. Was it just that she offered up a challenge? Troy felt that it went well beyond that and this was uncharted territory for him. She was so far above any woman he had ever encountered. She was exquisite in beauty and the strength of her personality had gripped him right from the start. Yes, he wanted to sleep with her but he also wanted to know her. Troy had to admit to himself that he was somewhat spellbound. What was it she had said about not wanting to be a trinket if they had sex? Those words were also playing tag with his mind. Was she subconsciously admitting something about her feelings for him? Or was he making too much out of what she said?

Whatever had brought him to The Oasis so soon before his shift, providence was surely in his favor today. His senses were pricked by, first of all, not needing to disarm the security system and second of all, a curious sound coming from the back of the bar. He stealthily crept his way back, not wanting to alert the intruder. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck prick with anxiety. As he got closer, he recognized the sound as the water running in the shower room. Still unsure of what to make of it, he remained quiet and snuck forward. He inched his way closer until he could make out the shape of a person who was inside through the slightly ajar door. He sucked in his breath at the sight before him and although this was no dangerous intruder, his heart rate wasn't about to slow down anytime soon.

There stood Gabriella, her back to him, in the last remnants of her yoga wear. Her tiny black shorts revealed the slightest curve of her butt cheeks peeking out from underneath. He watched as she slipped her bra off and let it fall to the floor on top of the heap of clothes already formed. She was standing slightly sideways so he was able to just make out the side curvature of one breast. Her nipples hardened at the feeling of cooler air on them and to his amazement, Gabriella reached up and ran her hands over her perfectly pert mounds, letting out the quietest purr of a moan. He knew this was so wrong to be watching but he couldn't tear his eyes off of her.

Her lovely long fingers curled under the waistband of her shorts and loosened them over her hips and peeled them down her slender legs. She bent down slightly as she kicked them off. Troy's tongue was forced into the back of his teeth as he tried to steady his breathing. He was doing his best not to make a move that would cause her to look back and stop everything in its tracks. He didn't want to do anything to jeopardize this incredible fortuitous moment. Was he being a pervert? Maybe; but he wasn't thinking with the gentlemanly side of his brain right now.

Troy's eyes drank in the luscious figure that was before him. Her skin was golden and perfect. Her back curved gracefully into her round behind which was firm but filled out enough to give her that soft feminine figure. Her breasts were incredible; he never really took himself as a guy that would appreciate smaller breasts but Troy could see that they were all her own and he was incredibly turned on by them. The straining against his trousers was most uncomfortable but he didn't move an inch. He was completely transfixed in his spot.

Gabriella reached into the shower to check the temperature and found that it was just right. She grabbed her shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel and stepped into the steamy stall. She stood with her face to the spray and let the water pour over her, shaking her head and letting her hair become saturated. The water running down her body was titillating her nerve endings as her mind was still wrapped around Troy and she imagined his fully nude body, showering with her. Her tongue languidly ran over her lips.

She took her shower gel and squeezed some out into her palm. She began lathering her body and was becoming more and more aroused as her hands ran over her breasts, stomach and down her legs. She closed her eyes let out another gentle moan as she increased the pressure of her touch on her own skin. Her sexual fantasies had gotten the better of her and she needed to release some tension. Her hand found its way to her folds and she began to caress herself as her other hand massaged her breasts, giving careful attention to each taut nipple. She continued like this for a short while. "Mmmm, like that; Ohhh god," she breathed out. Her mind was completely entranced with the thought of Troy's body pressed up against hers and his fingers working utter magic on her erotic zones.

Troy could not believe what he was witnessing but he knew he was well beyond the point of turning away. It was taking everything in him not to reach down and take hold of his own manhood, to match the pleasure that Gabriella was giving herself. He watched as she carried on her motions of self pleasuring.

Gabriella was fully enveloped in her fantasy by this time, completely unaware of her surroundings. She increased the pressure of her fingers on her clit and her breathing was rapid and wanton. She had now braced one arm on the glass shower wall and her head was back. She envisioned Troy's muscular frame and his erect cock fully ready for her. She took hold of it and guided him into her. "Give it to me. Oh…god. Fuck me. Fuck me hard," she quietly chanted out between husky breaths. It was only her own good fortune that she did not call out his name.

Troy was pretty sure he was going to spurt his load any minute at this unfolding scene. Small beads of sweat had collected on his brow and upper lip. His heart was thumping wildly and he ran his stealth tongue over his lips in anticipation of Gabriella's climax. With all the feelings that had been toying with his brain for the last dozen or so hours since they had kissed, seeing this incredible woman freely explore her sexuality, Troy was overcome with painful desire. God, he wanted her so badly but he would be putty in her hands rather than the other way around.

Gabriella was at her peak already and she slowed her movements to draw out her orgasm as long as possible. A low guttural moan escaped her throat and lips in between strained breaths as she released. The amazing tingling sensation radiated down her legs and up from her warms folds through her torso. "Ooooh godddd," she panted, her knees feeling slightly weak.

A smile curved onto Troy's lips as he watched Gabriella enjoy the remaining moments of her pleasure. This was definitely the hottest thing he had ever seen and he didn't think this vision was going to be escaping his thoughts any time soon.

Gabriella started regaining her composure as her breathing returned to a steadier pace. She returned to the business of showering. She finished washing her hair and conditioning it. Troy knew he was going to have to leave and enter the bar again because he didn't want Gabriella to have any idea that he had voyeured her private ecstasy. While the noise of the pounding water spray could still mask his steps, he tiptoed away and exited the out the front door of the bar, locking the door behind him. He pulled out his shirt from his pants and let it hang down in front of his crotch, disguising his still straining erection.

He walked down the sidewalk and spotted a café that sold grilled sandwiches. He decided to pick up some lunch for himself and Gabriella and bring it back to the bar. This would help kill some time for him because he didn't exactly want to come back and find she was still drying off or just barely dressed. As much as he thoroughly enjoyed the situation that he was so lucky to stumble upon, he felt guilty enough that he didn't want to embarrass Gabriella. He knew she would be feeling more vulnerable after what had happened the night before.

Gabriella stepped out of the shower and wrapped the fluffy terry towel around her. She actually felt invigorated and refreshed, not just in her body but her mind as well. Maybe that's all she needed was a good old fashioned fantasy session like that to wipe all lusty thoughts about Troy Bolton from her mind. She unzipped her bag and took out her fresh clothes: a comfy pair of low slung jeans, white tank and sandals. She would go home later to change for the evening. Tonight was going to be special because her father was coming to visit the bar and bringing a couple of associates with him.

Once she was changed, she went back into the private office and grabbed the files she was looking at the night before. She decided to take them out front; _bad karma in here_. She settled in at the bar counter because there was room to spread out all the papers. She rested her chin in her palms and sighed a bit in frustration. All these spreadsheets and tables might as well be in a foreign language. Numbers and graphs were never her thing. She blew out a long breath of air. The sound of keys rattling diverted her attention behind her.

She turned and looked to see Troy coming in with two white plastic bags. She immediately felt her heart leap up and nervous anxiety started to overtake her. How was she going to act after last night? Should she just act bitchy and cold or confront him about it plainly and without emotion? She opted for the latter. "Hey Troy, what brings you in so early?" she asked, lightly clearing her throat.

Troy felt his mouth go dry as he took in Gabriella's beauty. She looked incredibly hot dressed down in her jeans and tank top. Her damp hair hung over her shoulders.

"Well, seeing as you left in a hurry last night and I left shortly after, there were a few things I didn't finish that I normally do before I close up," Troy responded, trying to not to look guilty.

Quite honestly, he was having a hard time looking her in the eye. Now that Gabriella was sitting in front of him as his boss again, he was slightly angry at himself for allowing his rabid lust for her body not prevent him from watching her earlier. He had somehow been able to detach the fact that she was who she was at that moment and just let his senses reel with all that he was seeing. Now she was a real person again; a real person who was desperately trying to have him view her in a professional way.

"Um, about my quick exit last night Troy. We should talk about that," Gabriella began, her voice straight and strong.

"You know, Gabriella. It's okay. Really. We can just forget about it like you said," Troy said, lying. He looked up and caught her gaze briefly. No, he wouldn't be able to forget it.

"Troy, we're adults. We can be honest and that's what I want to do," she said, softening a bit. If she had any idea why Troy was avoiding her gaze, this conversation would be happening with much more complicated emotions. "Look, you're an extremely attractive man. If I didn't admit that, I'd have to have my eyes examined," she started explaining, blushing a little as she spoke.

Troy put his hand up in the air as if he didn't want her to say anymore but she continued.

"It's alright, Troy. I don't mind saying so." She went on, "Anyhow, after I found you in the bathroom with, uh, what's her name, I was pretty upset. I did not expect to see that and then when you came in the office, the intensity of the emotions I was feeling turned on me a bit unexpectedly." Gabriella was trying her best to be as matter of fact as possible and was doing a pretty good job of it.

"I mean, you are pretty shameless in your flirting, Troy," Gabriella added, a bit scoldingly. "Anyhow, I'll take responsibility for my actions since I kissed you first. I acted badly and very unprofessionally and I apologize."

Troy inwardly smirked at how hard she was trying to build this professional bridge between them. What was he supposed to say to her? _Oh, don't apologize for the kiss, Gabriella. I've just seen your incredibly desirable body totally naked and watched you getting yourself off in the shower. I had the hugest, most uncomfortable hard on of my entire life thanks to you. So, I wouldn't worry about that kiss if I were you._

Troy looked at her and smiled innocently. "Apology accepted, boss." Looking to change the subject quickly, he held up the plastic bags. "I brought lunch for two," he said, sending a quick wink her way.

"How did you know I was here?" she queried, shifting a little on her seat.

Troy had already worked out his masterful response. "I came a bit earlier but noticed your car out back so before I came in, I decided to grab us some food."

"Well, your timing was perfect because I am absolutely famished. Let's see what you got master bartender," Gabriella said, wildly gesturing for him to bring the bags over. She was relieved the conversation had gone fairly smoothly but a bit surprised that Troy hadn't come back with some smart assed remark. He had let her off the hook too easily. She had no idea the battle he was fighting in his body and mind at the moment.

Troy strode over and plopped down the bags on the counter. "Oh, I see you were trying to still get in touch with your inner accountant again looking over all these numbers," he playfully teased.

Gabriella laughed, "Its all gibberish to me Troy. I do really want to understand it but I think you're going to have to walk me through it a bit."

"Well, what would be a lot easier is if you came to my apartment sometime and I could show you the computer programs I use to do all this stuff," Troy blurted out matter of factly, momentarily forgetting that she could read into this idea as a suggestive proposition.

Gabriella raised one eyebrow at him and smirked, "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that one, Troy. I'm sure you try that line with all the girls: Come over to my place and I'll show you my spreadsheets."

They both stifled their laughter with that comment. "No, I don't think that would be the biggest turn on for the women I take home," Troy chuckled and then started feeling a little warm again, "How about that food?"

"Sounds good, Troy. It smells delicious actually. Did I mention I was famished?" joked Gabriella.

"Yeah, you did. What has got your appetite so jazzed up anyhow?" asked Troy, truly interested.

"Oh, I was at a hot yoga class this morning and it really burns a lot of calories," said Gabriella, rummaging through the bag and pulling out the Styrofoam container. "Oooh, paninis. What kind?"

Troy spaced out for a moment. _Hot yoga? Oh god, don't think of Gabriella in those sexy skimpy shorts and contorting her body in those wild poses._

"Hmm, what was that?" Troy responded.

"What kind of sandwiches did you get?" Gabriella asked, impatiently. "Hello, earth to Troy."

"Oh," he responded, clearing his throat lightly, "I wasn't sure if you were a meat eater, so I stuck with grilled vegetables."

"Hmmm sounds good. I would have eaten anything at this point. Shall we?" Gabriella looked at him eagerly.

Her whole demeanor toward him was different and Troy didn't know how to react to it. She had turned off the snotty rich bitch act entirely. It was much easier when she was acting that other way because he could act like his usual asshole self and she could fire it back at him pretty well. However, he decided to enjoy this more relaxed side of her because he wasn't sure how long it was going to last.

For her part, Gabriella was trying to keep everything light and easy. She knew if she poured on the tough boss act, Troy would not be able to resist flinging out his sexually charged remarks and those usually got them places that she did not want to be. Plus, he had been very sweet bringing them lunch so she decided to go with his suggestion to "let her hair down" for the time being.

Troy went behind the bar and grabbed a couple of wine glasses and took out a bottle of Riesling, perfect for midday. He gestured the bottle to her and she nodded, her mouth stuffed full of sandwich. He poured two glasses and slid one closer to her and she smiled a thank-you to him.

"So, yoga. How did you get into that?" Troy asked, trying to keep his thoughts pure.

"One of my poetry Profs was into it and she suggested I try it to relieve stress," Gabriella explained, still chewing. "How about you, Troy. What do you do to relieve stress?"

Troy coughed out a roasted red pepper into a napkin at Gabriella's question. His mind had immediately flipped to the inappropriate. Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Ok, besides that!" she exclaimed.

Troy smiled devilishly knowing that she had picked up on his reaction correctly. "Actually, I go for about a 5 mile run along the beach; every day if possible," he responded, taking a big sip of wine from his glass.

"Yeah, I kind of took you for a runner. You've got that lean, lanky physique," she spoke and immediately regretted her choice of words. He was bound to pick up on the fact that she had noticed his body.

Troy went easy on her. He didn't want to turn her back into snappy Gabriella yet. He flipped his bangs from his eyes and flashed a flirtatious grin, letting her know he realized her compliment on his body.

He took a huge bite of his sandwich and let her carry on the conversation. "I've tried running over the years but it has never clicked for me," she went on, trying her best to keep things moving along. She took a big gulp from her wine glass to wash down the bits of bread in her mouth. "So far, yoga has been the winner for me, but I'm actually thinking I might try kick boxing for something new..." She was kind of kidding around with this; just a left over idea from the morning.

This got Troy's motor running. The thought of Gabriella's body arched all over the place doing yoga was very hot but the contrasting thought of her sweaty body kicking the shit out of a training bag was totally scintillating. "Well, I've seen your fiery side Gabriella and I don't think I'd want to be your sparring partner," Troy said, giving her a knowing look.

"I wouldn't take you as someone who would say no to going head to head with a woman, Troy," replied Gabriella. "_Oh no. There I go again, setting the trap for him," she thought._

Troy couldn't hold back on that one. "Well usually that's not the type of head to head contact I prefer, Gabriella, but if you're throwing out the gloves, I'll gladly hop in the ring with you."

"_Damn," she thought, "he bit." _

Gabriella rolled her eyes at him to show her annoyance at his boyish mischief. "I'll let you know if I decide to take it up, Troy," she lightly snorted. She started gathering up the papers that were strewn over the bar. "Thank-you for the lunch, it was delicious." She stood up from the stool.

"You're welcome, boss. You did polish that sandwich off pretty handily. I'm glad I could assist your ravenous appetite," Troy teased. "_Wish you could help mine about now," he thought as his eyes wandered over her entire figure._

She glanced down at her watch and realized it was a little later than she thought. "I need to get home and get changed for tonight."

"It's still a couple of hours before we open," Troy responded. He was seriously enjoying this time with Gabriella and feared these kinds of moments were going to be rare.

"Well, it's a big night tonight. My father is coming in with one of his associates and his son so I really want to make a good impression," Gabriella said with a hint of nervousness.

"Gabriella, this bar runs like a clock every night. There's nothing to worry about," Troy said reassuringly.

"My father is not easy to please, Troy; but you are right for the most part," Gabriella stated with more confidence. "And, you better behave yourself tonight. Try and keep your pants on until you leave the bar, hmmm?" she smirked, sending him a wink.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Gabriella anxiously scraped the hangers over the bar in her closet, searching for the perfect outfit. Pants? Skirt? Dress? She couldn't decide. This was a big night for her. A chance for her father to see her as he never had before. He had always made her feel accomplished but since she completed her degree, for the past year she truly had only been living the life of a rich heiress; completely self indulgent, without a care in the world. She was now a professional business woman. Thank God that Troy had been running the bar so successfully or else she would have been in a bit over her head.

Troy. That was her other big concern. Gabriella had a bad case of lust for her sexy bartender and didn't know what she was going to do about it. The only option seemed to be "nothing." Certainly her time in the shower this morning had helped but that wasn't exactly going to be the most convenient solution every time she felt like ripping his clothes off and fucking him senseless. The employees would wonder why she was always disappearing to the back of the bar. God, she was thinking like a guy; sex on her mind all the time.

Gabriella finally decided on a simple shimmery silver shift dress with the yoke cut in a V front and deeper V in the back. She clipped the sides of her hair into loose French rolls and let the rest of her wavy locks hang down. She layered some silver bangles, stacking them up her forearm. She slipped on some rhinestone studded strappy heels and faced the mirror, letting out a laborious sigh. "_Good enough," she thought._

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Gabriella arrived at the bar just before her dad and his associate did. She had called ahead and reminded the hostess not to allow anyone in the VIP room. It wasn't so much a separate room but an elevated booth with sliding dividers so that you could control how much you were part of the rest of the bar. The Oasis wasn't really big enough to accommodate an entire separate room.

Gabriella caught sight of Troy behind the bar, working his magic with the customers, and her breath caught in her throat. He had such a naturally sexy air about him and even though he was brutally cocky, she couldn't help but be attracted to his confidence. And even wearing something as simple as a black t-shirt and dark jeans, highlighting his muscular lanky frame, he sent Gabriella's nerves tingling. _"I am so fucked," thought Gabriella._ Then her mind flashed back to more pressing matters._" Stay focused girl. Your father is arriving any minute."_

At just that moment, she looked to the front door and noticed her father's entrance. Javier Montez strained his neck around trying to spot Gabriella but she quickly came into view as she strode in his direction to greet him. "Daddy," she excitedly said, "I'm so glad you're here. I've got our table ready. Let's just go and sit down; we can do introductions better when we're seated."

Gabriella led her party to the VIP table and shut 2 of the partitions, leaving them open to the bar and part of the dance floor. She wanted to be able to signal to Troy to come and introduce himself and take their drink orders directly. He was definitely the one staff member whom she wanted to father to meet because she knew he'd be impressed by him. Despite Troy's flirtatious manner with the women, he also was extremely well liked by the more prestigious male clients of the bar. He never gave the impression that he was trying too hard so he didn't come off as falling over himself or ambitious or phony. He was smart and could carry on intelligent conversations covering just about any topic. He had his own opinions but when he got into debates, he did so with respect for the other person.

Before she could hail Troy over, the necessary introductions to her father's guests would have to come first. "Gabriella, I'd like you to meet Joseph Lang and his son, Alex, who has just started working in his business." Gabriella smiled gracefully and gave both of them strong, confident handshakes. "I'm pleased to meet you and I am happy to have you as guests here tonight," she exclaimed. Gabriella could feel Alex's eyes lustfully move over her body and it bothered her a little but she knew she would have to play along for her father's sake. She didn't have to screw the guy, but she knew she would have to at least show him a good time this evening. "I'm sure you gentlemen would like to start off with some drinks, so I'll have our bartender serve us personally." She looked towards the bar, caught Troy's eye and signaled with her own that it was time for him to make his presence known. Troy nodded back that he understood.

Troy arrived at the table and Gabriella smiled at him pleasantly. "Troy, I'd like you to meet my father, Javier Montez."

"Mr. Montez, I'm glad to meet you and pleasured to personally welcome you to The Oasis. You've made a wise choice putting Gabriella in charge of this bar. She definitely has natural talent with managerial skills," Troy stated without hesitation and gave Gabriella a quick glance. "She's initiated some key changes already."

"I understand you've been running things single handedly until I took over ownership, and doing a damn fine job, Gabriella reports," replied Javier, looking Troy in the eye and with a small smile on his lips. "I'm glad you've agreed to help Gabriella get up to speed. I always knew she had a head for business but her studies led her elsewhere so she's got some basics to catch up on."

"Well, I always give everything 100 percent Mr. Montez, never less. Now, enough business talk. You gentlemen are here to enjoy yourselves so I'll get you started with your drinks. Name your poisons," Troy stated and looked around the table. He noticed Alex Lang's eyes transfixed on Gabriella's cleavage as she was slightly leaned over the table. He had to admit, her perfect breasts were a sight to behold and the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra only added to their allure. But catching Alex eye her up gave Troy a slightly sick feeing in the pit of his stomach. _"Who does this guy think he is?" Troy wondered. "Furthermore, why am I bothered by him?"_

Troy took their orders, served them and carried on with serving the rest of the customers who were seated at the bar. His eyes regularly wandered back to Gabriella's table. He watched her playfully engage with Alex, but in a slightly aloof manner. Aloofness aside, he couldn't help but feel a slight twang of envy at the attention she bestowed on her table mate. He watched as her eyes would sparkle as she laughed at whatever Alex was saying, clearly doing her best to stroke his ego. Occasionally, Alex would place his hands on Gabriella's arm or hand. She didn't remove them immediately but eventually would discretely slip them out from under his grasp so it wouldn't be obvious to him what she was doing. Troy smirked as he watched her. She was damn good at this role playing shit.

Luckily for Troy, Gabriella was completely oblivious to his observing eyes.

One person who wasn't oblivious was a particular female who was desperately vying for Troy's attention at the bar. A barely legal brunette wearing too short a skirt and a next to nothing halter top sat perched in front of him on the barstool and cleared her throat. "Ahem, bartender. I'm thirsty, and not just for something in a glass," she said, with a slight huskiness in her voice.

Troy averted his eyes from Gabriella and leaned over the bar and came almost face to face with the brunette's burgeoning cleavage which was clearly fake but not hard on the eyes either. "What can I get for you, darling?" he queried flirtatiously. No reason why he couldn't have some fun.

"Well, I like to suck long and slow and hard, so I'd like a slushy drink with a straw and then once I'm warmed up, maybe I could suck on something else?" she said, as her eyes wandered down his chest but was forced to stop, not able to reach his groin which was hidden from her view. A rather greedy grin crept across her peachy glossed lips.

"_Message received loud and clear," Troy thought. _ He was somewhat amazed by the forwardness of someone so young. He was used to those kinds of come-ons by confident older women who flirted with him but still found himself taken aback when the younger ones were so aggressive and brassy." I can definitely fulfill your drink request and we'll have to see about your other wish," Troy answered with cool amusement, one eyebrow cocked.

"I won't let you forget you said that, bartender, and you won't be sorry if you take me up on my offer," she laughed, gushing. "I always get every last drop."

"I read you, honey. Don't worry. Let's just see how the night goes, shall we?" Troy said, not wanting to close the deal too soon but keeping the option open. He knew he had her in his palm but the evening might hold other possibilities, other offers or maybe another encounter with Gabriella if he could catch her alone.This girl was maybe a little too eager for his liking. He wasn't so desperate that he couldn't hold out.

Meanwhile, Gabriella was getting warmed up on the dance floor and it wasn't long before Troy's eyes made his way back to her perfect figure which was dancing dangerously close with Alex. His hands were running up and down her sides and as he pulled her closer, they made their way over her lower back, his fingers lightly grazing her backside. Gabriella didn't care. They had good rhythm together and for her, dancing was always a passionate act, even when she danced solo. If she had a good partner, all the better. She just let herself be in the moment. She wasn't sure how far things would go with Alex tonight but she could handle the aftermath if she decided it was a no go. He wasn't exactly her type; not that she could say she had much of a "type" this past year. Basically, she was just filling sexual need so if she thought the guy could give her what she wanted, he was her type. She felt a little differently now. Alex was very good looking, well groomed and well dressed but she was craving something with more edge.

Her fingers were tangled up in her ebony locks, lifting her curls from her shoulders as her hips swayed to the heavy bass beat. She tilted her head back and it took everything in Alex's power not to want to bury his face in her neck, but with her father nearby, he knew better than to test Javier's tolerance. She was so damn sexy, though. Gabriella could feel Alex's attraction to her against her thigh. _"Nothing new," she thought wistfully. _

Of course, this idea was shared by most of the men in the room who were nearly hypnotized by Gabriella's sultry moves on the dance floor. It was difficult for any guy not to find himself drawn to her, sneaking glances in her direction so as to not offend their female counterparts.

Troy, of course, was not immune to her lure. He definitely had a longing to feel her body move against him like that. Then Troy had a brainwave. Surely, she wouldn't deny his request for a dance? _"All she can say is no if she thinks the situation doesn't work."_

Gabriella had taken her seat with Alex and was taking a big sip of water. Her chest was aglow with small beads of moisture. She looked up and smiled a bit when she saw Troy approaching their table. "I came to see how everyone was doing here and if anyone is looking for a refill," Troy said, his eyes locked on Gabriella's.

"Troy, this place has exceeded my expectations. I am so impressed with what I have seen so far in this business venture. I think I'm in the mood for champagne. How does that sound to everyone?" Javier pronounced. Everyone's heads nodded in agreement. Who was going to argue?

"Sir, I will see to it that your server will get that to you immediately." His eyes moved to the beautiful woman at the table who had shifted her chair slightly further from Alex's. "Gabriella, I wonder if you'd join me for a dance. You seem to be enjoying yourself out there tonight and I couldn't shake this yearning to cut loose myself tonight. Of course, if that's ok with you, Alex." Troy asked, his desiring eyes burning a hole right into her and not even bothering to glance in Alex's direction to get his response. This decision was really Gabriella's to make.

Gabriella was surprised by this offer. It was a bit unlike Troy and it unnerved her a bit, with her father being present and considering the sexually charged interactions that had transpired between them. She wasn't sure what to expect. But she didn't want to give her father any reason to suspect there were any issues between them either, which he might if she said no. She non-verbally agreed by standing up and taking his hand. Besides, her curiosity was piqued about what kind of a dancer he might be.

She allowed him to lead her to the floor by the hand. But then, all contact ceased other than his eyes being fixed on hers. "I wasn't sure if you even liked dancing," she stated, her eyes darting over his face and down his body as they both started moving to the pulsing beat.

"Well, to be honest. I don't get out here much but tonight the mood just struck me," he answered, his face not giving anything away about how he was feeling inside. "You look exceptionally beautiful tonight, Gabriella." Hearing those words made Gabriella's insides turn over several times and she smiled at him. The tension between them was already thick and electric. In the moody lights of the bar, his eyes were a deep, almost violet blue and Gabriella was riveted to them.

They instantly fell into a great rhythm with each other. Troy reached out a single finger but instead of touching Gabriella, he kept it about one inch away from her skin as he moved it over her shoulder and across her chest to her other shoulder and down her arm. Gabriella's pulse quickened with this extremely sensual gesture. _"Fuck, he's not even touching me and I am getting wet," thought Gabriella, her senses reeling. _

Troy's finger glanced over the area of her cleavage, again not touching but so close that Gabriella swore she felt a tingle. Then instead of a single finger, both his hands continued the same non-touching actions over her swaying hips, remaining there for awhile, and then up the front of her thighs. Gabriella bit her lip and closed her eyes momentarily, suppressing a whimper. She was desperate for him to touch her but she feared that very desperation so much. Her eyes bore into him with an intense emotion that Troy could only read as lust. Her lashes were heavy over her eyes. Troy smirked inwardly but was careful not to let on to Gabriella that he could read her. He was getting so turned on by not touching her and her response to him and he didn't want to spoil anything by making her feel self conscious. They continued this way with concentrated stares on each other, lost in the pools of each others' eyes, neither really sure what was occurring between them.

The song came to an end and even though Gabriella had not danced with nearly as much physical intensity as she had with Alex, she was more spent from this single dance with Troy. She fought to control her ragged breathing, as did her partner. "You are one sexy woman, Gabriella," breathed Troy, almost shocked that he said that out loud even though he fully intended to. It sounded different when it was actually hanging in the air. "Let's go check on how your father is enjoying his champagne, shall we? Plus, we don't want to keep your date waiting."

Their moment was over, whatever it was. "He's not my date, Troy," responded Gabriella with slight exasperation and rolling her eyes. "He's the son of my father's business associate. You know that."

"So, what is it then? You're falling all over him just for your father's sake?" said Troy teasingly. Of course, he completely understood that what she was doing that evening was nothing of the sort, but Troy's envy over her going back to sit with him caused him to say this hurtful thing. He slightly regretted it but was a little curious to see what she would say.

"You're assuming I'm gonna fuck the guy aren't you?" exclaimed Gabriella incredulously, her hand coiling into a fist and resting on her hip.

_Oh well, better just run with it now. _"Relax, Gabriella. Business is business. I understand," responded Troy smugly, feeling his heart race at the sound of her saying the word "fuck."

"Jesus, Troy. You know what? I kind of thought we were starting to break some new ground today but clearly that's not the case. You don't know me and you don't know my father so don't you dare make me into some stupid bimbo that my father uses to advance his own business." Gabriella was fuming mad and had definitely not read Troy's words as him merely teasing her or that his comment was fueled by envy over Alex. She was completely insulted and offended.

_Oops, she's really pissed. _"Gabriella stop. I'm only kidding around with you. Come on. You know I'm not serious," explained Troy, taking her by the hand, trying to calm her down. He knew by her expression that she was not moved. "Look, I'm sorry, ok?"

"Whatever, Troy. If I fuck Alex tonight, it will be because I feel like fucking, nothing more," hissed Gabriella under her breath whipping her hand away from his and quietly storming back to her seat.

"_Damn, I may have just pushed her in a direction she was never intending to go," thought Troy, _angry at himself for eliciting such a heated response from Gabriella when he was only expecting playful banter. He really hadn't meant to offend her and he certainly wasn't trying to encourage her to go to bed with Alex but she was the type of girl who would now fuck him out of spite. After what Troy had seen in the shower that morning, he was keen to be the next man to feel her passionate fury beneath his body, not some other guy.

The rest of the evening carried on without limited interaction between Gabriella and Troy. She refused to acknowledge him, turning her attentions more purposefully towards Alex. She wasn't necessarily trying to make Troy jealous but if that was an outcome then all the better. She more so needed the distraction her from her own seething anger. Maybe she did need a good fuck tonight after all and she didn't think Alex would need much persuasion.

After enjoying some samplings from the kitchen and a bottle of pinot noir that Gabriella ordered from the waitress, her father started making obvious gestures that his visit to the Oasis was coming to an end. He leaned over and kissed Gabriella on the cheek. "Congratulations darling," he simply stated and smiled lovingly at her. She knew with those two words that he was pleased with how things were running with the bar and that he was proud of her.

Javier stood up, signaling to the other 2 guests that it was time to go. "Well, gentlemen. I'm not as young as I used to be and as much as I would enjoy a snifter of brandy, I think I would be prefer it more from the comfort of my own bed," he chuckled. "Gabriella, could you have someone call for the limo? Alex, if you care to stay longer, I'm sure Gabriella would give you a lift home."

"That's ok Daddy. I'm exhausted too. Why don't we all just call it a night and head out together," responded Gabriella.

She linked her arm with her Alex's purposefully as they all made their way to the entrance. He whispered in her ear something about her being a great dancer and no man in the bar being able to keep their eyes off of her. She laughed flirtatiously and leaned into him giving him a brief kiss on the mouth to say thank-you. She knew Troy was watching and she milked the moment. "I had a nice evening too Alex," she said, slightly gushing.

"The person you really looked like you were having a good time with was your bartender. There is some serious heat between you two," he responded, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Troy is extremely flirtatious, you're right about that. But he treats women like objects so I feel nothing towards him other than tolerance because he is valuable to this bar. Any heat you saw was me enjoying dancing; I won't deny he was a good partner," Gabriella stated, trying to sound convincing. "Regardless, thanks for putting up with me dancing with him."

Alex looked at her face and wasn't quite sure of the truth of her answer. He wasn't exactly pleased to play second fiddle to some other guy. He was fully prepared to ride the limo home with his father. Gabriella was still wrestling with her options for the night. Go home alone or get some payback sex. She didn't doubt that Alex would be decent in bed and he seemed like a worthy enough cause to get something in return for his having to spend his evening with their fathers.

By this time, Gabriella and Alex had walked out the door arm in arm and the limo had pulled up in front, as well as Gabriella's car. Alex leaned in to kiss Gabriella on the cheek to say goodnight. Gabriella surprised herself and Alex with her next choice of words as she whispered, her lips grazing over his earlobe, "Let's not call it a night quite yet. How about I give you a ride?" The double meaning was not lost on him and he looked at her with his eyebrow raised, clearly surprised. He said to her, "You sure about that, Ms. Montez?" She nodded in return and Alex turned to wave goodbye to his father, who was waiting to see which direction his son was going. Second fiddle or not, Alex would be crazy to turn her down.

Not that there was any real belief in his mind that anything was going to happen with himself and Gabriella that night, but by this time Troy had too much raw emotion rampaging through his veins to go home alone. Watching Gabriella flirt and dance with Alex, his own dance with her and then his poorly chosen words that flared her anger had put Troy in a caged animal mood. The final straw was seeing Alex get into Gabriella's car. Troy was frustrated. He decided to salvage the night with the huge breasted, propositioning brunette. He had kept her interest throughout the evening, knowing that he could chose to blow her off if he wasn't in the mood by the end of the night. He wasn't sure if he was necessarily in the mood for her but she was primed and what she was offering was better than his own hand job.

He strolled over to the seat where she had remained all evening and said to her without hesitation, "Baby, you'd better warm up those sucking muscles; you're gonna need them."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Troy groggily slid his bare legs over the side of his bed, running his fingers through his already messy hair. He lightly slapped his cheeks with his hands to bring himself out of this morning haze. He stood up and made his way over to his dresser to pull out a fresh pair of running shorts and t-shirt, closing the drawer heavily. He walked over to the bathroom and turned on the cold water tap so that he could splash some cold water on his face. This particular morning, Troy wasn't worried about making noise that would wake anyone up. There was no one else in his apartment besides him.

_Flashback to the previous night…_

Troy had barely made it two steps out of the back door of The Oasis last night before the brunette was planting sloppy kisses all over his face and essentially trying to pull down his jeans in the small parking lot reserved for staff only. She was intending to make good on her promise right then and there. "Whoa there, darling. Let's get this show away from the eyes of the homeless guys back here, ok?" Troy said frustratingly, trying to pull her clamoring hands off of him.

She pouted her lips at him and let out an agonizingly whining, "Awe, Troooooy."

Troy rolled his eyes and bleeped his alarm on his car. He walked over to the passenger's side and opened the door for her. "Oh, such a gentleman," she squealed, eliciting an impatient sigh from Troy's mouth.

Sliding in on the driver's side, Troy slipped his key into the ignition and started up the engine. Meanwhile, the girl had started unbuttoning her own blouse and had hiked up her skirt so that her bare ass was against the leather seat. Troy groaned, not out of sexual desire but out of distaste. The more time he spent with her, the less he wanted to.

Once he had navigated out from the tight spaces of the cramped lot, Troy started driving down the alley to the main road, becoming more agitated by the second. Her hands were roaming all over him and again, making their way under his t-shirt and back to the waistband of his jeans. Troy looked over at her and saw her breasts nearly falling out of her bra and right there, Troy made a decision. This was not going to happen. This whole situation was making him ill.

With one hand, he gently removed her hands from his leg and said, "You're going to wear me out before we even get started." He paused. "What's your address, baby?" he asked, carefully making sure to add the "baby" part so she wouldn't suspect anything. He was intending to take her home and drop her off but he didn't want her to know that.

"Aren't we gonna go back to your place?" she asked with a sickenly sweet tone.

"Nah. I've got my sister staying with me so I'm on the couch for the next couple of days," he said, convincingly. His eyes remained focused on the road ahead and his hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.

The brunette gave up the goods on where she lived and Troy made his way there as quickly as he could. He felt like he was suffocating in the car with her. Her perfume, fake breasts and red painted nails were overwhelming him. When he pulled up, he went around to her side and opened her door, guaranteeing that she got out. He escorted her around to the sidewalk, leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Sorry, I'm afraid this is where we're going to part ways, sweetie. It's not going to work out after all."

Before she could put up a huge protest, Troy hopped in his still open driver's side door and pulled away from the curb. A huge smile crossed his face as he breathed easy once again. He didn't think he had ever felt so relieved to _not have sex._

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Gabriella's eyes fluttered open and she moaned as she rolled over, pulling up her comforter around her neck. Morning had come too soon and her bed was way too cozy and comfortable. As her body started waking up, however, she realized she had to go to the bathroom very badly and her head was throbbing a little from the champagne and red wine she had consumed at dinner and the after-dinner brandy she had with Alex in her apartment.

She gently folded back her comforter and she eased herself out of bed. Her sexy white silk negligee slipped down past her knees as her feet hit the floor and she stood up straight. Small goose bumps formed all over her as the coolish morning air nipped at her exposed skin as she padded softly to the bathroom.

After finishing in the bathroom and popping down a couple of Advil's, she found her robe and draped it over her delicate shoulders, fishing her arms down the sleeves. She exited the bedroom and discovered the brandy glasses on the living room coffee table and carried them to the sink to rinse them out. She would wash them thoroughly later.

The morning Miami sun and waving potted palm trees were beckoning Gabriella out onto her expansive patio. She stretched out on one of her lounge chairs and let the sun's rays slowly warm up her slightly shivering body. She loved this quiet and was dreading getting on with her morning.

She thought back to how she had said goodbye to Alex last night and was impressed with how calmly he reacted to her change of heart. Of course, he didn't have much choice with his father being both a friend and a business associate of Gabriella's father. It wouldn't serve him well to accuse Gabriella of being a tease, but even if he had behaved badly, Gabriella would never have gone to father about it. She kept her choices of sexual partners completely to herself, even if it involved people close to his business.

She had invited Alex up to her penthouse for some brandy and she had honestly intended for him to spend the night. She had poured 2 glasses for them and they were getting rather cozy on her plush sectional sofa. Gabriella was just looking for some fun, easy sex but when she looked in Alex's eyes, she saw something more serious and intense. Something she could not return and she decided that she could not go through with it. She had recognized this in the past before with other men she had been with but it never bothered her. Gabriella selfishly had kept her emotions separate from sex and it was the guy's problem if he cared too much for her. However, her heart had softened a little for Alex and she realized that if they had sex, it would be hard on him if she didn't want to see him again, a realization she was sure of.

Alex said he understood and confessed that he had come to her apartment knowing that he was playing second fiddle to Troy Bolton but for the chance to be with her, he was willing to push his pride aside. Gabriella laughed, a little uncomfortably, and again denied his assumption about Troy, but she politely thanked Alex for his honesty and flattery. After calling him a cab, she shut the door behind him and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

As she now sat in her lounge chair, her robe wrapped tightly around her, Gabriella contemplated Alex's observation about Troy. She could not deny her attraction to him and he obviously had similar feelings toward her. However, she also had to face the fact that she was merely a quest to be conquered for him. That was not her approach to men even though it was always she who held the power. The difference was she was not interested in putting notches in her belt or anything of that nature. Gabriella was not out to prove anything which is why she stayed away from married men, even if they pursued her. She had no interest in stealing someone away from his wife, even if it was just for one night.

She knew that her resistance to Troy was not going to keep him at bay and that he would continue trying to wear her down. All the while, he would bed down any two legged female creature that crossed his path to bide his time. This made Gabriella's stomach churn and she tried to strengthen her resolve to resist his enormous sex appeal. His over-inflated ego should be enough to turn her off, but Gabriella was compelled by something deeper that allowed her to see past his ego; something that really intrigued her and that wouldn't allow her mind to drop him.

Her brain was ripped from her thoughts by the sound of the phone ringing. She ran inside in time to catch it before it went to voicemail. She picked up and was immediately greeted by her father's booming voice wishing her a good morning. "So, do you still have company there this morning, my darling daughter?" her father queried.

"Daddy, that's really none of your business but since you asked, no. Alex came back to my apartment and we had a drink but that's all," Gabriella confessed. Normally she wouldn't have given her father that much information but seeing as they had all been together at the bar and that he had seen Alex get into Gabriella's car, she knew her father would be suspecting something.

"You're right sweetheart. It is none of my business. Since I've got your full attention then, I'd like to ask you a favour," said Javier, his tone changing to more direct and business like. "I'd like you to set up a lunch date with that bartender of yours. Troy, is it?"

"He's not MY bartender father. He's the bartender for the bar. I don't own him," said Gabriella, almost feeling threatened.

"Gabriella, don't be silly. You know what I'm talking about. Anyhow, I liked what I saw in him very much and I'd like to spend some more time talking to him. He's too busy during working hours, so I'd like to have lunch with him…and you, as well, of course," her father said, somewhat apologetically.

Gabriella rolled her eyes a little at his late inclusion of her, as if it were an afterthought. _"So like a man," she thought. _She was happy that her father thought so much of Troy just from the brief meeting they had and it had been her intention to impress her father by meeting Troy but she couldn't help but feel she was going to be a bit of a third wheel in this scenario.

"Father, remember you've given me charge of the bar. I've got things well in hand," Gabriella started but her father cut her off.

"Gabriella, I'm not interfering. I'm just saying I like this boy and I'd like to know more about him. He's obviously got a lot on the ball and I always like to pick the brains of younger people who have good business sense," Javier responded, scoldingly.

Gabriella pursed her lips. "Fine. I'll let you know when and where," she said, anxious to end the call. "Good-bye father."

"Good-bye darling. I'll look forward to hearing from you soon. Why don't you book Acqua at the Four Seasons? It's always consistent," suggested her father before hanging up. This elicited a shrug and a sigh from Gabriella after she placed the receiver back in its cradle. She was beginning to doubt her father's faith in her abilities and she didn't like the idea of her father getting cozy with Troy.

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Gabriella arrived at the Oasis that evening feeling a little low in spirits. It didn't seem to have an effect on how incredibly stunning she looked and how she managed to captivate the attention of every man who laid eyes on her. Her long flowing locks were gently swept into a low messy knot. Her black sleeveless tank was graced at the scooped neck with attached layers of edgy gold chains of various lengths and widths. She paired this with simple black slim trousers and studded heel stiletto pumps. Her look was refined but cool. Her eye make-up was a little smokier and heavier than usual but her lips were simply glossed.

Troy could no longer deny how incomparable any other woman was to her. His attraction to her was growing every second she came into his line of sight. Her sophisticated sexuality was gnawing at him like a dull ache that needed to be remedied. However, he also could not help but notice that she seemed a little off her game this evening. As she made her way around the room, checking in on the patrons, her eyes were slightly lacking in their usual glimmer and her smile was ever so forced. Troy wondered what it was that had cooled Gabriella's radiance. Had something gone terribly wrong with Alex? It bothered Troy to see Gabriella like this.

Meanwhile Gabriella was aware that Troy was eyeing her throughout the evening. However, she didn't have any idea that his thoughts had an ounce of sensitivity to them. After all, he eyed up all the women to determine who he would be swapping DNA with at the end of the day. She believed she was no different to him except that, in her case, he would not actually be taking her home. It didn't seem to stop him from looking her up and down as though the only reason for her presence was to give him viewing pleasure.

After Gabriella's conversation with her father that morning, she could not escape the feeling that once her father met Troy, she would be sidelined and her father would think her presence at the bar as redundant. Not that there was any real basis in this. Her father seemed nothing less than thrilled last night and had wished her congratulations. Also, she knew her father always liked to have someone that he trusted close to his investments. In this case, it was her.

Maybe it was Troy she was more afraid of. Perhaps when he learned of the meeting, he would show up with a hidden agenda to plot her demise. Something made her terribly uneasy about the two of them meeting and it was making her feel profoundly stressed.

She had snapped at the hostess for no reason in particular and even got mad at the cook for a mistake that wasn't his fault. She would have to make amends later. She was certainly not one to apologize for biting someone's head off if they deserved it. She wanted respect from the staff but just being a bitch would not achieve that. Her behavior tonight was counterproductive.

She looked over at Troy and saw he was on fire with the customers tonight. He grabbed the vodka bottle from the shelf, flung it in the air letting it flip end over end, Tom Cruise style in "Cocktail." Then he would snatch it out of the air and effortlessly douse 3 ice-filled highball glasses. He finished them off with their mixer -probably tonic - and a lime garnish. These antics always elicited cheers and applause from those lucky enough to be seated front and centre for the show. Gabriella allowed a small smile of pleasure to grace her lips as she looked on at the entertainment he provided. _"Thank God he's on top of things tonight because I'm sure not," she thought. _

Troy caught her smiling and it caused slight heat to rise to his cheeks. He turned his attention back to three women friends who were ogling and zealously complimenting his skills. They clearly had their sights set on him and if Gabriella didn't know better, she was sure that they would each wait their turn in line if he decided to take all three of them home with him. Gabriella's eyes narrowed a bit at the thought.

Things were starting to die down. Gabriella walked over to the hostess and took her aside. "Angela, I was out of line before talking to you like that. I'm not sure what's wrong with me tonight but I apologize," she said, softening her eyes.

"Don't worry Ms. Montez. We all have our bad nights," Angela responded, shocked that Gabriella could admit she was wrong.

"Well, it's not like me to do that. Please, go home early and write down your full shift on the time sheet. I will take over saying good-bye to the guests," Gabriella said while placing her hand on Angela's arm, almost guiding her away from the front door.

"If you say so, Ms. Montez. Thank-you," she replied and walked to the back to get her things. She looked back over her shoulder and saw Gabriella brilliantly engaging the departing guests.

As Gabriella was saying good bye to a particularly friendly and very drunk pair of males, Troy was doing the same to the three women at the bar. They kept insisting he join them for some dancing or other activities that could be fun for 4 people. Troy politely laughed off their propositions and teased them by saying that 3 women might be too much for even him to handle. They offered to split up and he could take his pick of any one of them. _"Wow, they must be hell of good friends to do that," thought Gabriella, rolling her eyes. _Again, she witnessed Troy turn down this open invitation. She didn't think she had ever seen a man have offers for sex fall so easily in his lap.

The three dejected females made their way to the door still pretty high in spirits; the effects of alcohol and feeding off each other's party mood keeping them buoyant. They managed to connect with the two males who Gabriella had also kindly brushed off and they left as a fivesome. Gabriella laughed at the thought of how they would work out the logistics of the pairings.

"That's the first time I've seen you laugh tonight, boss," Troy called from across the bar.

Gabriella locked the door and made her way over to the counter. "I'm surprised you let those women go," she began, waving her hands toward the door. "You had a mini fan club there."

"I've only got eyes for you sweetheart," Troy answered cheekily, Gabriella not having a clue the level of truth that was laced in that response. In all honesty, Troy was having a serious problem seeing any of the women in the bar as having any potential, even just for casual sex. He was a little concerned for the health of his regularly raging mojo.

"Sure you do, Troy," chuckled Gabriella, familiar with Troy's flirtations by now. "By the way, I've got something to ask you," she said, her mouth feeling a little dry at the idea of the chore she had to accomplish.

"My father wants you to join him and me for lunch," she said, sounding despondent.

"You seem rather perturbed at the prospect. Why do I feel you'd rather be going in for a root canal than having lunch with me?" queried Troy, looking at her squarely and trying to read her eyes for an answer.

"I don't know. To be honest – and I can't believe I'm telling you this – the idea does kind of overwhelm me," Gabriella spurted out. The fact that Troy had turned down sexual favors from those three women somehow allowed her to show her vulnerability to him. He was suddenly less threatening.

"What for?" said Troy, genuinely curious.

"I'm not feeling fully comfortable in my position here Troy. While I'm happy with what I've done so far, the whole business side of things, the number crunching, is making my head swim. I haven't had a chance to get a grip on that yet and it bugs me that my father will see that," she admitted regretfully, hating for Troy to know her utter fear of this area of her responsibilities. "It has me completely rattled if you must know."

"Well, I know the perfect remedy for your stress," said Troy, leaning over the bar, his tongue lightly running over his bottom lip as he placed his nose within mere inches of hers.

"Jesus, I knew I couldn't spill my guts to you. All you can do is bring it back to sex," said Gabriella with exasperation.

"Who said anything about sex? Again, I maintain that you're the one who seems to make things about sex. What I'm talking about is a good run on the beach," responded Troy with a smirk. He leaned back on his feet again, increasing the distance between he and Gabriella.

Gabriella felt herself get flush with embarrassment. "It's a little late for a run," she said dryly.

Troy started wiping down the countertops and answered, "No, tomorrow silly. Why don't you meet me early on the boardwalk by the fountain?"

Gabriella carefully weighed this for a moment. "You know what, I think I might just do that," said Gabriella, convincing herself that it might do her some good to try some more aggressive exercise. "What time do you usually go?"

"Usually around 6 or 6:30," he said, looking for Gabriella's reaction to this ungodly hour.

"Ok fine," she said without showing how much she was cringing on the inside.

"If you like, we could grab breakfast afterwards and then I could go through that accounting program with you at my place," said Troy, hoping that Gabriella would sense the integrity in his voice. He did honestly want to make her feel more secure about understanding the numbers. Admittedly, he also didn't mind the prospect of having his sensually gorgeous and enticing boss inside the confines of his apartment but he smartly realized that the situation was completely uncharted territory for him. He could flirt with the idea but other than that, he could not treat her like the rest of the female species.

Gabriella's mouth felt parched at the thought of being in Troy, the philandering bartender's, apartment. "I am going to chose to believe that you only have honest intentions and take you up on that," said Gabriella, a small, playful smile curling up on her lips. "I think you're right that everything will be clearer if I can see the process of accounting and not just the end product."

"Not afraid to be alone with me at my den of pleasure?" joked Troy, the cockiness returning.

"Believe it or not, it is not an impossible task to resist you," answered Gabriella smartly.

"6 o'clock then?" said Troy, expectantly, his hopes fueled by Gabriella's apparent softening of heart.

"6 o'clock it is. Don't you dare think of standing me up either," called back Gabriella as she strode to the back office to get her bag and keys. She felt suddenly cheerful.

"_I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart," thought Troy. _

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Authors note: Hi everyone. So, the story is going to pull a big 180 here. Hopefully you will find it believable. Please keep the reviews coming. I know when a story is well under way it is easy to stop reviewing but it means a lot to us authors. You can start to think that no one is reading your story anymore and it makes you wonder if you should continue. Not trying to beg or anything….Anyhow, many thanks to those who do keep those reviews rolling in, especially "angelonyourshoulder" and "didumissmeofcourseyoudid" and my friends from "the blog" – you know who you are. Also, big thanks to my helpers rachrep, jb and dalia for guiding me along the way with plot and editing. **

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As 5:30 o'clock am can tend to do, the early hour arrived far too soon for Gabriella's liking but she was determined to not pull a no-show on Troy. She didn't think she'd live it down, for one. Second, something was compelling her to want to go just for her own sake.

She left herself plenty of time to get into her running gear and make her way to the boardwalk. Not being a seasoned runner, she wanted to give herself time to warm up and stretch. She was very limber from yoga, but this was a different type of muscle usage, not to mention cardio. She threw a change of clothes and a water bottle in her athletic bag and made her way to the car park. It was too early in the morning to have the doorman call for her car.

Gabriella easily found a parking spot at the beach and only had a short walk to the fountain. She still had 5 minutes to spare. She started off with some high knees and once her muscles felt a bit warm, she stretched with some deep lunges.

Troy was only a couple of minutes behind her and as he approached, he saw Gabriella warming up and stretching. He was mesmerized by her perfectly formed leg muscles that flexed as she switched positions. Even at this early hour, she was lustrous in the morning light. Her hair was pulled into a cute high ponytail that made her seem more youthful and playful. "Looking good, boss," he called out as he was mere yards away. "Glad you made it."

Gabriella came out of her stretch and looked behind her. A wave of anxiety came over her as she spied Troy's lanky frame making his way towards her. _"What am I doing here? I am going to make a complete fool of myself," she thought nervously. _"Of course I made it," she replied, with a half smile trying to sound perky.

"Ready to rumble?" asked Troy, rubbing his hands together and slapping his thighs. Troy looked at Gabriella and could sense her apprehension. "Don't worry, Gabriella. I'll let you set the pace. We'll just take it easy."

"Well, I am here to work out so I don't want to take it easy, but I'm not going to lie and pretend like I'm an experienced runner either. I'll take the lead but if you think I'm too slow, don't be afraid to push me harder, ok?" said Gabriella with as much sincerity as she could muster.

"You're the boss, boss. Let's go!" said Troy enthusiastically, placing his hand on her back and nudging her a bit, signaling her to get started.

He was feeling like this was a very positive move getting Gabriella outside of the bar in a different environment. It helped that it was unfamiliar territory for her because it made her a little more vulnerable. He could be in control, even if it was gentle control. He had no plans to make her feel threatened or like she was out of her league running with him. He had enjoyed their brief lunch the other day and hoped to pick up on the good vibes from that. Even though he enjoyed getting her charged up with sexually loaded comments and seeing how she would respond, he realized from her reaction the other night that he was going to get nowhere if he kept wearing on her nerves like that. Her defenses immediately went up. He thought the light and airy approach might be better. No pressure. Even if nothing ever happened between them, he did not want their working relationship to be filled with tension all the time. It was too draining.

True to his word, Troy let Gabriella set the running pace. She first settled into an easy jog. Once she started feeling more comfortable and she had gotten past that uncomfortable stitch in your side feeling, she began speeding up. She was feeling strong and running along the beach with the morning air filling her lungs was invigorating her mind and body. Her oxygen permeated blood was coursing through her and she felt like she could conquer the world. Soon, she was in a full out run and she felt amazing. Troy had no problem keeping up with her of course, but the pace wasn't that far off of what he would do on his own and he was extremely impressed.

They said little to each other. Troy would occasionally point out different places of interest and give a small nod to familiar faces who were regulars with the morning run routine. When they got back to their starting point, Gabriella was panting more heavily than Troy, so she walked around a bit longer to catch her breath and let her heart rate come down. When she felt like she could actually form a sentence she wandered back to where Troy was seated on the grass, stretching out his hamstrings.

Gabriella admired his athletic form. Wearing a sleeveless running shirt, she got her first glimpse of his entire arms from the shoulders down. His skin was moist with a light layer of perspiration and it glistened in the breaking sunlight, highlighting his musculature. _"So damned sexy," she thought._

He looked up; feeling her gaze on him and his blue eyes penetrated her stare. He smiled and said, "That was quite a run for a novice, Gabriella."

"Thanks. I'm feeling a little light headed, but overall, I feel fantastic," said Gabriella, feeling quite proud of herself for her accomplishment.

"Well, how about some breakfast then? You've earned it," complimented Troy. "There's a great place just a half a block from here that has the best breakfast wraps." Gabriella nodded in agreement. "Sounds great," she responded, still gulping a bit for air.

Troy and Gabriella made their way over to the café and placed their order at the counter. It was one of those places where you could just order to go and eat at their tables or take it away with you.

"I'm not sure if I can enjoy eating breakfast sitting in these sweaty clothes," mildly complained Gabriella, pulling away her tank top which was glued to her torso. "I'd like to change but I need a shower. I kind of forgot about that."

"Let's just take these back to my place and you can use my shower then," suggested Troy, trying to avoid any undertone of devious intent.

Gabriella looked at him and raised one eyebrow slightly. Troy responded, "What; you don't trust the cleanliness of a single guy's bathroom?" Troy knew why she had looked at him that way but he tried to feign ignorance. "I promise you won't catch any diseases," he scoffed.

Gabriella shrugged. "I don't have much choice since half the reason for us getting together was so you could run through that software with me. Wouldn't make sense for me to go home." She hadn't thoroughly thought about the showering afterwards bit even though she had consciously thrown a change of clothes into her bag. She wasn't particularly worried but she hadn't fully considered what it would mean to strip down and have a shower in her employee's apartment with him in the next room. Especially an employee that had been pricking her sexual senses since the day they met. Not to mention there was also a certain something about him beyond the fact that he was just so damned gorgeous that was drawing her to him.

As they made their way back to Troy's place, they sipped their coffees and Troy filled Gabriella in on little tidbits about shop owners of places they would pass or gushed about which places had the best pastries, soup, Cuban food, etc. It was only a brief 5 minute walk.

"I'm getting the feeling you don't cook for yourself too much, Troy" laughed Gabriella. "You've got all the angles figured out around here for whatever you might be craving."

"Let's just say, I'm a big supporter of the food service industry. I'd like to cook, but it's pretty hard between the hours I keep at the bar and studying," said Troy, unapologetically.

"Don't forget your "social" activities," said Gabriella, with mock disapproval.

"I'd be careful about being very judgmental on that if I were you, boss. Besides, I'll have you know that I haven't had any guests for a good few nights," said Troy with a hint of justification.

"Is that meant to make me feel sympathy for you or something?" spat back Gabriella, giving Troy a shove in the arm. "I hardly think you'd make the honor roll for celibacy!"

"OK, moving on," said Troy, chuckling and clearing his throat. "Here we are at my building anyway."

The two made their way up the 2 flights of stairs as the elevator was being used by someone who was moving out. Troy opened the door to his apartment and let Gabriella walk in first. She glanced around and immediately thought it was remarkably well kept for a working student and bachelor who probably didn't have much time for cleaning. While she was standing in the living room, Troy left to grab a fresh towel from the linen closet. He handed it to her and gestured toward the bathroom. "The shower works well. There's no tricky jiggling with the fixtures or anything so you should be fine," he said, feeling slightly humbled at the realization that Gabriella was here, in his apartment, and that she was likely accustomed to much more glamorous conditions.

Gabriella took the towel from him and turned away feeling apprehensive and she nervously bit her bottom lip. The simplicity of Troy's apartment was the farthest thing from her mind. There was something intimate about her getting undressed in his place; even though she knew she could trust Troy for the immediate moment. Problem was, could she trust herself? She had so much pent up sexual tension with him. He was obviously trying to lighten the atmosphere but she still felt the energy between them in the air. _"Damn it, why is he so fucking hot? And now he's acting charming too. It's like salt in the wound," she thought, beating herself up for getting herself in this situation._

"Thank-you Troy, see you in a few," said Gabriella, trying to sound unaffected.

Troy let out a huge sigh once Gabriella was safely in the bathroom and he heard the water running. Troy's thoughts immediately went back to Gabriella's shower at The Oasis and he almost started breaking out in a cold sweat. He didn't have to imagine what her nude body looked like because he had already seen it and she was mere feet away from him again. It was torturous.

Troy decided to straighten up some papers on his desk and restacked his Fortune magazines on the coffee table. He heard the water shut off and within a few minutes Gabriella was out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair. She had donned a simple v-neck black tank and slim jeans. She had also applied a light coat of mascara and lip gloss. Troy was amazed at how she could appear so naturally gorgeous with so little effort.

"Do you mind if I grab a quick shower? I'm feeling a little self conscious that I might smell bad now that you're all freshened up," asked Troy. _"I think I might need to make it a cold one."_

"Go ahead; it's your place. I'll just browse through the newspaper while I'm waiting," said Gabriella easily and taking a seat on the couch.

She felt much better now that she was showered up. The run had really energized her and she was pleased that she didn't have to give up after half a mile. Now she just had to face the mountain of being alone with Troy in his apartment. Hopefully she could remain focused on the task that she was there for. She eyed his magazines and saw his stack of textbooks on the floor. There was a marked test paper on the top of the pile. She noted that the score was perfect and she smiled. She had a feeling he was a serious student. _"No wonder his ego is so inflated. He's gorgeous, has a hot body and he's brilliant to boot."_

With that lingering thought, she heard the bathroom door click and she turned and saw Troy step out with a towel wrapped around his waist, making his way to the bedroom._ "Fuck, he's still dripping wet. Don't look too long, Gabriella." _

"I'll be out in a sec, ok?" Troy called out, unaware of Gabriella's burrowing stare. He closed the bedroom door and quickly found some ripped faded jeans and a white t-shirt. 

He stepped out of the bedroom ran his fingers through his mildly damp hair. He made his way, barefoot to the kitchen and got out two plates for the breakfast wraps. He removed them from their foil wrappers and placed them on the plates. "You want some OJ or water?" he asked.

"Water would be great, thanks," Gabriella responded. "So um, what's your favorite area of your business studies?" she continued, wanting to keep the conversation neutral and seeing if she could distract her mind from how incredibly dishy Troy was looking in his torn jeans.

"Uh, oh I'd have to say that it's a toss up between Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Restructuring versus New Venture Creation," he responded, as though Gabriella would know exactly what he was talking about.

"Ugh, I've heard my father going over legal details for various mergers and acquisitions with his team of lawyers many times. Very technical, very boring," said Gabriella, waving her hand in the air as if to shake off the subject. "New Venture Creation sounds intriguing though."

"Yeah, it's pretty exciting because it's a very hands-on course. You can explore and develop business ideas you might be toying with and try and develop a business plan and financing proposal for creating a viable new business," Troy said enthusiastically. Gabriella saw his eyes lighting up as he spoke. She could see his idealism and vitality. From experience with her father, she was accustomed to the drudgery and cut throat aspect of business. People always seemed serious and stiff in the business world.

"Well, since you're all revved up, maybe we should get started," Gabriella said, making her way over to his computer.

Troy pulled up the accounting program from his desk top and started going through the basics with Gabriella, starting with assets and liabilities. After about an hour, Gabriella's head was swimming again with columns and tables. She pushed herself away from the chair and let out a groan of frustration as she stood up. Troy felt a smile tug up the corners of his mouth. She was adorable in this state of intensity.

Standing behind her, he tentatively reached for her shoulders and started to rub them, not sure what kind of reaction he would get but deciding to take the risk. "Relax Gabriella. You're trying to absorb a lot at once here," he said calmly.

At first she bristled a bit at the initial touch of his fingers on her skin, but feeling the immediate heat from his hands, her shoulders fell back down. He watched her body language change as her head tilted to one side and then the other, her wavy black hair gracefully tickling his fingers as he gently kneaded out the tension. "Troy, I don't know if this is a good…oh God, yeah, right there is amazing," she said, barely stifling a groan.

Troy was pleased that she wasn't resisting his massaging touch. He continued to work his thumbs on either side of her spine by her shoulder blades. He knew this was the prime spot for tension when sitting in front of a computer for too long. Gabriella, in the meantime, was falling under the trance of his miraculously working fingers. He had the perfect balance between strength and gentleness. Her mind began to wander again that he probably hit that perfect balance in bed as well and she could feel her insides tossing as her thoughts betrayed her sense of reason.

Troy had lessened the distance between himself and Gabriella; he knew a boundary had been crossed and he wasn't sure about how much he could push this. He was afraid that she could bring this to a screeching halt at any moment but he was unable to tear his fingers from her body. As his hands touched the bare skin of her shoulders once more, the smooth silkiness that he felt intoxicated him. He longed for more and he gently moved his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. He knew this gesture would decidedly change everything that had happened until now, one way or another.

He felt Gabriella's breathing change and she slowly turned to face him. "Troy," she managed to breathe out. She had intended to stop him but her eyes met his and she saw the passion in them that was burning her core. His gaze darted over her face and landed on her full lips which were still parted from saying his name.

Troy was in tune with Gabriella's want and combined with his own he slipped his palms under Gabriella's elbows, a movement that would not be perceived as aggressive or threatening. Gabriella did not flinch and her eyes remained on his, heavy with lust. He leaned forward, bent his head and laid his mouth over hers. He offered only as much as he thought she would accept. Her lips trembled slightly at first but she moved in closer to him. Their first kiss in the office at work had been full of tempestuous rage and Troy was determined to play this one differently.

His hands slid from her elbows to the small of her back. He resisted the urge to pull her tight against his body and instead let her find her way into his embrace. Her mouth parted more and he changed the slant of his mouth against hers. He licked her lower lip with the damp edge of his tongue. The breath she had been holding was released with the faintest of sighs.

Gabriella raised her hands and began by touching her fingers to Troy's shoulders and then let them drift to the back of his neck and into the wavy ends of his honey brown hair.

Warmth became heat and desire displaced tension. All good sense and caution was being abandoned as she was enclosed in the circle of his arms. The kiss deepened and became hungrier. His tongue searched and caressed her mouth with want and need. Both needing air in their lungs, they drew back simultaneously and Troy lifted his head slightly so that his forehead rested against hers. Still feeling the stamp of the kiss on their lips, they smiled and stared at one another momentarily. Neither wanted to say anything for fear that words would snap them back to reality, a place that felt very far away.

This time Gabriella moved in first, needing to feel the caress of his mouth on hers again. The whole of her insides was flush with warmth and she began to ache at her core. She plunged her tongue back into his mouth and teasingly moved it over the crevices. She was taunting him with how skillful her tongue could be. Troy let out a moan that had been building in the back of his throat.

He allowed his hands to roam over her back and she arched into him. He tugged at the back of her tank and slid his hands under the cotton fabric to feel her skin. She gasped into his mouth at this action and he smiled against her lips. He removed one hand from her back and it delved into her dark wavy tresses, cupping the back of her head to pull her mouth more deeply against his. There was no protest, no resistance.

Gabriella also did not stop her hands from straying where they naturally felt inclined to go under the circumstances. They found their way under Troy's untucked t-shirt and playfully skirted around his waist to his well formed abdomen. She allowed the entire area of her palm to run over the sculpted muscles that tensed with excitement under her touch. At this, Troy removed his lips from Gabriella's and continued his tender assault over her jawline and down the side and into the graceful curve of her neck, gently sweeping her hair away so that he had complete access to her luscious skin. His lips made his way over her shoulder as he pushed aside her tank top and bra strap so that they slipped down her arm. He paused briefly on the rounded edge of her shoulder to allow his teeth to scrape over the area. This elicited a sultry moan from Gabriella that signaled to him to continue driving onward.

Troy's free hand now deftly moved to Gabriella's front and he caressed her breast over her top, pushing up her cleavage so that he could place his lips on the curvature he found at the neckline of her tank. He nipped a little and ran his tongue over the satiny surface of her décolletage. Meanwhile Gabriella's arms had snaked to Troy's backside to pull him tight against her. She was longing to feel his hardness pressed against her body. Feeling his erection through his jeans caused a rush of wetness to her core. She wanted him so badly she was aching for it. Her head fell back and she let out a huge breath of air she had been holding in.

She pulled away from him and lifted her tank top up and off, leaving her upper body clad only in a filmy white lace bra which fully revealed the hardness of her nipples. She reached forward and grasped the bottom edge of Troy's t-shirt, lifting it over his head and tossing it aside. Troy was spellbound by the fact that she had taken the first steps of clothing removal. She took a moment and drank in the beauty of his molded arms and bronzed torso. She wanted nothing more than to feel his skin beneath her palms as she ran her hands over his chest. She parted her lips again as Troy closed the gap between them. He could not stand to not have his body touching hers. They both gasped aloud as their upper bodies met, his fully naked against hers, protected from complete exposure only by the few inches of gauzy lace.

Their needy mouths found each other again, their lips teasing each other with the edges of their tongues before slipping them into the depths. Troy reached behind Gabriella to grasp her backside with one hand, lifting her off the ground, his hips grinding into her pelvis as she wound her legs around him.

Troy slowly walked their intertwined bodies in the direction of his bedroom.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Troy and Gabriella's lips remained glued to each other as their kisses became more fervent. Breaths were coming hard and fast through their noses and moans and sighs of desperate pleasure escaped their mouths. They could not get enough of each other's taste and texture.

Troy made it to the bedroom and he crunched over to allow Gabriella's back to hit the mattress while her arms remained clasped behind his neck. They were both kissing each other with arduous need, impatient, hungry. Troy moved over Gabriella and rested on one of his elbows while his other hand tunneled into her hair. Their mouths continued to devour each other as their tongues circled, retreated and circled again. They momentarily separated for gulps of air and when his lips met her again, he was planting kisses on her cheeks, her jaw and over her closed eyes. Gabriella returned by kissing the corners of Troy's mouth, over the light shadow of his stubble and then traced her tongue down the protruding tendon of his neck. She liked hearing his breath come unevenly.

Troy's skin was smooth and his shoulders taut. The muscles of his back shifted and bunched under her fingertips. Troy had now reached down with the hand that had been tangled in Gabriella's hair to unfasten the button on her jeans. He did so with ease and then tugged down the zipper. His hand then reached to cup her bottom and he lifted her up so that he could slide her jeans over hips and down her thighs. Her own feet did the work of pushing the denim fabric down her calves and off her body completely.

Gabriella's hands then moved to the front of Troy's waistband and began to work on the button which held them in place. Once the button was through the hole she felt for the zipper she discovered more buttons. She whined and rolled her eyes. Troy pushed himself off of her to finish the task himself and slid his jeans down his legs and kicked them away. While he did this, his eyes, burning with dark, brooding desire, did not leave Gabriella's. She was clearly enjoying watching him undress. Her gaze left his briefly to move down his perfect torso again and landed on his straining erection, visible though his boxer briefs. She smirked and motioned with her finger to come back to her again. He lay down on the bed beside her and roughly pulled her on top of him. Only the tiny fabric of her lace thong and the thin cotton of his boxers separated them. She rolled her hips forward so that he could feel her wetness against his raging manhood. Troy gripped her hips and closed his eyes and moaned out "Fuck…Gabriella."

She continued to roll her pelvis into his, increasing the pressure as she did so. "What was that Troy?" she panted out between two heavy breaths.

"Fuck…fuck me Gabriella," he called out, barely able to put the words together. Hearing each other voice the other's name was sending them both over the edge.

Gabriella reached behind her back to unclasp her bra and as she did, she let the straps fall off her shoulders, holding the bra in place with the other hand to cover her breasts. Finally, the desire to have Troy's hands discover this part of her, allowed her to let the piece of lingerie fall away from her body. Seeing her breasts were free from this last confining item, Troy's fingertips traced their way from her rocking hips, up her flat stomach and circled the perimeter of her breasts before finally allowing the skin of his palms to grace the tips of her hardened nipples. Gabriella shut her eyes in ecstasy and her thighs tightened against his hips.

Troy leaned up so that he could take one breast in his mouth, his tongue rasping against the darkened skin of her areola. Holding himself up with the strength of his abdominal muscles, his hand still cupped her other breast, his fingers rolling her pebbled nipple between them. "Oh God," she gasped, pushing Troy back onto his back and covering his lips again with her own. She reached down and fingered the light elastic waistband of his boxers and pulled it away from his body. He lifted his hips so that she could slide them down and off. One last piece of material was preventing them from being completely naked with each other and Troy saw the end to this with haste by not so gently curling his fingers under her thong and forcing it down her legs. He smiled against her lips at the realization of how close they were to fully and finally succumbing to their lust and desire.

Gabriella whimpered out in aching need at the feeling of his hard shaft against her bare skin and drove her hips up into him. Troy reached down and cupped Gabriella's mound and allowed his finger to dip into her wetness. Her mouth formed an "O" shape at this intimate touch, the heat building in her belly. Suddenly there was two, then three fingers inside of her, probing and sliding. Gabriella's thrusting hips could not be contained as Troy's thumb remained on her clit, applying the perfect external pressure. His touch was so erotically pleasing, like nothing she had felt before. No man had been able to bring her to the brink as quickly as her body arched in pleasure. Troy continued pumping his fingers in and out, the tip of his middle finger finding and caressing the ridges of her g-spot. The wave of her orgasm started to come and it was hitting her hard. This was no prickly tingling but began deep inside and radiated outward, spinning and sparking until the whiteness filled her eyes and his fingers masterfully plundered her over the top. She screamed out and shuddered as the intensity ravaged her senses. As it began to lessen, Troy slowed his movements to draw out the feeling as long as possible. Gabriella's eyes dropped to half mast and her kiss swollen lips parted. "Oh…my…God. That was fucking unbelievable," she breathed dreamily, her complexion flushed.

Her hazy state only lasted for a moment as Gabriella was overcome with the intense need to feel Troy's length inside of her. Gabriella reached for his penis and allowed the wetness that had escaped the tip to coat her thumb she ran it over the head and down his shaft. Troy grunted at this first touch of her hands on his cock. She stared at Troy's beautiful manhood and then brought her attention back to his mouth. She lowered her head and started kissing him again with restless heat. Her tongue ran along the inside of his upper lip and his breathing hitched. He took her breast again and kneaded it while Gabriella stroked his penis with clever skill. Troy had been moving his groin in time with Gabriella's strokes but he suddenly reached down and grabbed her hand to stop her.

Gabriella realized he must have been getting close to orgasm and didn't want it to come to fruition outside of her. Troy had found the condoms in his bedside table and had torn open a package. All sense and sensibility of how this shouldn't be happening was far from Gabriella's mind and she gulped at the knowledge that she was probably about to experience the best sex of her life. It wasn't that she believed that Troy was going to be so good but more that had never been on fire like this before, never so needy for pleasure and, of course, her attraction to him was undeniable. Gabriella took the package from Troy and removed the condom. She looked at him lustily through the thickness of her lashes and her tongue ran along her swollen lower lip as she took the condom and rolled it over his thickness, her other hand cupping his balls.

Troy drank in her sexy features and couldn't believe that they had made it to this point. He had never been so fully aroused to his core. Every inch of his body and mind was absorbed in her beauty and sexuality. As he predicted, he was pure putty in her capable hands and he could barely comprehend the thought of what it would feel like to be inside of her. Again he covered her round full lips with his and kissed her. "I want you so fucking badly Gabriella," he mouthed over her lips.

"Then take me," she returned, nearly breathless and practically coming again with hearing him say those words. Troy split her thighs with his knee and positioned himself above her. His tip grazed her folds and he teased around her opening, allowing her wetness to coat him. His hardness would flick over her clit and she would tense pleasurably in response. He could have stayed like this for awhile, allowing his anticipation to build even more. Gabriella writhed in frustration,"Now!" she hissed.

"Gabriella," he said her name softly, "look at me and don't take your eyes off of me. I want to see you. I want to watch every feature on your incredibly gorgeous face." Gabriella slowly nodded that she would comply with his request. With that, Troy lifted his hips and slowly pushed into her. He measured his thrusts carefully so that he could savor each one to its fullest. He watched her eyes as he penetrated deeper. The centres of them darkened and widened; a perfect onyx stone set within the mocha brown of her irises. Once he was fully seated, he held himself still, their eyes completely engaged with each other's. He slowly began to move again and she met his movements. He thrust more deeply and she worked with him, rising to meet his strokes. Her fingers danced along the spine of his back, feeling the tightening of his muscles. She gripped him as she started to feel her orgasm mounting again, her breathing catching and betraying her pleasure.

Troy could feel his own crisis nearing as Gabriella's inner muscles worked their magic on him. He wanted to hold back as long as he was able, but felt the strain of denial across the taut muscles in his back and thighs. When Gabriella reached to touch his face, he knew he was crossing the point of no return. Her fingertips grazed his jaw and her swollen panting lips mouthed out to him that she was coming again. He ground into her harder and his quick and shallow strokes inside of her heated and contracting core plummeted them both into pure rapture. Troy's shudders took possession of his lean frame and her name spilled out of his mouth without reserve as he emptied himself inside the condom. The contractions of their orgasms slowed until they only felt the mild tingles of remaining pleasure. Troy lowered himself to his elbows so that his heaving chest met Gabriella's rising and falling breasts while he still bore his own weight. His bangs were matted in small clusters on his sweat glistened brow.

Gabriella's legs coiled around his body, holding him in place, willing him not to exit her. Troy leaned down and kissed her slowly and deeply, nudging her lips apart, tickling her tongue with his own. He breathed into her mouth, "Gabriella, you have absolutely fucking spoiled me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabriella had awoken first after they both fell into a brief blissful slumber. She had gently extricated herself from the bed and slipped on one of Troy's button up shirts. She stood at the window of his bedroom which overlooked the beach. She sighed deeply. Did she regret what they had just done? _"No," she thought, "but what happens now?"_

Troy had felt Gabriella's movement beside him and watched her as she tried to get out of bed without disturbing him. He smiled as his eyes dragged over her nude body, her sumptuous curves and lustrous skin causing his cock to stir again. His smile grew wider as she slid her arms down the sleeves of his shirt, as though it were the most natural thing for her to do, and lift up the body of the fabric to smell his scent. He allowed her to stand at the window for a moment undisturbed before quietly joining her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his nose in her hair. "Hmmm, I like the smell of my shampoo ten times more in your hair than mine," he whispered in her ear.

Gabriella tilted her head back into Troy's chest and let out a sigh, a contented sigh but one that was laced with anxiety. Troy felt the unevenness in her breath and asked her, "What are you thinking, beautiful?" his thumbs drawing light circles on her stomach.

His words brought twinges of warmth, but Gabriella couldn't shake the idea that they were far too caring for a player like Troy. He was just basking in the afterglow. Who was she kidding? Hell, she was a player too. Her feelings right now were completely abnormal for someone who had traditionally treated sex so casually and selfishly. Gabriella was trying to face the fact that Troy Bolton had initiated the rumblings of change in her and she wasn't sure she could go back to the way things were between them. Problem was, she was positive the feelings she was experiencing were one-sided and that Troy had no intention of being with her after this one time. He had got what he wanted and would move on. It made her stomach churn to think of him openly flirting with other women and going home with them. _"How could I have let this happen?" she thought with trepidation._

"I'm not sure what I'm thinking," Gabriella finally responded. During the silence while Gabriella contemplated her very non-committal answer, Troy was wrestling with his own demons. Even though his no strings attached sex life was almost like a pastime for him, conveniently compartmentalized from his serious life, he always knew in the back of his mind that he would eventually cross paths with "the woman." This back burner idea had now been thrust into his conscious and current thoughts. The amazing sex with her had only confirmed it further. He did not anticipate the wave of emotion that swept over him as she watched her come while he was deep inside of her, experiencing his own orgasm. Everything had been heightened to a new summit. He felt something foreign with Gabriella. It didn't have a name yet, like love or commitment, but it was something new. It didn't scare him at all. In fact, it was fresh and exhilarating and strangely comforting all wrapped into one package: Gabriella Montez. But what if he opened his heart just a little and decided to expose himself and say what was on his mind. He wasn't even sure what he would be communicating to her at this point. What if she remained steadfast in her belief that they could not be together because of their working relationship? She could shut him down and then he would have to face her on a near daily basis. She would have the knowledge that he felt something more for her that she had no interest in returning. It would be awkward. Could he just leap back into his old ways and forget the feelings he was having right now?

He wished he could just enjoy this moment but things had suddenly become very complicated between them. She wasn't just a one night stand who he thought could become something more and maybe he'd get her number and call her. She was his boss and she had been fighting his flirtations with a vengeance. He knew he couldn't not just say anything and see what happened. He had to deal with this. He decided to take a step of faith and see where it took him. Troy turned Gabriella around so that she was facing him and took a deep breath.

He took her chin in his fingers and tilted her face up so that she had to look him in the eye. When he asked her this question, he wanted to see her eyes. Words can say one thing but your eyes can betray what's really happening inside. "Are you having regrets, Gabriella?" he spoke.

Her eyes, soft and graceful, became slightly damp with tears and she managed to say, "Um…no. How could I regret something that was full of such passion and felt so perfect? What we just had was incredible. It's not a question of regret." Her voice sounded far off, but her eyes spoke volumes. He saw her tenderness and vulnerability and he saw something that he recognized. That was all he needed to proceed as best he could.

"Gabriella, I don't know how to say this…" he began, nervously. She started to look away from him, fearing that the big let down speech was coming. Pain shot through her gut. She had been so stupid to meet him, to come back here, to let him touch her. And yet, he had been so intensely connected with her during sex. Surely a guy like Troy, who seemingly shared her impersonal philosophy towards sex, didn't ask every woman to stare him in the eye while he drove into her. No one had ever asked her to do that before. It ripped to the very core of her soul to for them to watch each other climax like that. It was deep and intense. The battle was raging in her mind as to what to make of him.

"No, don't look away, please. I need to see your eyes." he continued. "Look, I've never done this before so don't be upset that it doesn't sound as good as one of your romantic novels," he chuckled mildly.

This caught her attention. Gabriella's breathing was becoming erratic again, fueled by the unknown of where Troy was going with this. She was expectant but fearful. He gripped Gabriella's shoulders lightly as he spoke these next few words. "I'm feeling a connection with you. I know I had it bad for you the moment you walked through the doors of The Oasis. I mean, the sex we just had was mind blowing. You are unbelievable, Gabriella."

Gabriella turned away from him, her heart sinking at the thought that he was just talking about their great sexual chemistry. She spoke harshly, "OK, so I'm a great fuck. That's good to know, Troy." She felt weak and small and so utterly disappointed.

"Hey, stop. Didn't I just tell you not to look away?" Troy said firmly and gently turning her back around in his arms. He could see her torment, even though he wasn't sure what it fully encompassed. This time he slipped his arms around her waist and rested his hands on her lower back so that he could maintain a better hold on her. "This isn't just about sex Gabriella."

"Isn't it? Isn't that what you were hoping for when you invited me for a run and back here to 'work'?" Gabriella said softly but with a twinge of bitterness. She was trying to prepare herself for the fact that the only reason he was finding this awkward and why he was making such a big deal of it was because she was his boss.

"No. Believe it or not, I did not have an agenda for today," Troy responded trying to load his words with integrity. "Once you were here though, I went with the energy that I felt was flowing naturally between us. Don't tell me you couldn't feel it."

"No, I won't deny it, Troy. I wanted you like I've never wanted someone before," Gabriella admitted, shocking even herself with her honesty. Again, her words would suggest that she was just meaning sex, but her eyes were telling him that there were shreds of some other feeling lurking beneath the surface.

Troy removed one hand from her lower back and slid it up under his shirt to the nape of her neck and pulled her a little closer to him. Gabriella's skin tingled and warmed under his hands and her eyes fluttered a little at this act of affection.

"So, here it is. I'm feeling something with you that I haven't experienced before and it started shortly after we met, after I found out you were my boss," Troy started to explain. Gabriella's heart began pounding a little faster and she felt slightly flush. Troy could feel her trembling beneath his hands but he took this as a good sign. "I know I've got the stigma of being a one-nighter guy but I was always open to something more. The opportunity just never presented itself before…until now." A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he leaned forward to rest his forehead on hers. "I don't know how to put a label on it Gabriella, but I like what I'm feeling. That's all I know."

Gabriella could not hold back the smile that was threatening to explode across her face. Her eyes slightly misty, she said back to him, "I like what I'm feeling too."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A small smile tugged at the corners of Troy's mouth at Gabriella's words.

"You do?" he answered her.

"You sound a little too surprised by that," she retorted, her eyebrows knitted together curiously.

"Well, you were so firm in your position to keep away from me. I mean, I think I've been sensing something from you other than just physical attraction but, then again, it could have just been me convincing myself," Troy started to explain.

Gabriella interrupted. "Well, you do have the ego that is capable of that kind of self flattery," she teased as she ran her hand over his smooth chest to let him feel the contradiction of her mocking words with her sensual touch.

"I'll admit it, Troy. When I first met you, it was all about the lust and yeah, I had to fight it," she said. "Every neuron in my brain told me it was impossible and wrong to touch you and complicate what is supposed to be a professional relationship."

Her eyes met his and her lids fluttered softly. He saw the honesty in her expression and he was moved.

"The other rational part of me told me that I could not let myself be just another cheap fuck for you. My pride couldn't stomach it." Troy put a finger up to her lips; her words a reminder to him of his cavalier attitude to women and sex. For him, Gabriella was not in that league and he did not want to hear her putting herself there.

"No, let me explain," Gabriella said, her small delicate hands removing his fingers from her mouth and interlacing them with hers. "The part that goes along with that is that I was afraid that if I crossed that line of intimacy with you, it be too much for me to see you with anyone else."

Troy spoke up next, now interrupting her. "I'm a bit surprised though. You did seem to leave the bar rather willingly with Alex the other night."

"Oh God…Alex." Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I was pissed at you, Troy. You worked me up and then you pissed me off by accusing me of being my father's whore. I didn't care that you were kidding," she said, squirming a bit at the memory of that night. "It was a low blow," she hissed, almost under her breath.

"So you did take him home for revenge sex," Troy exclaimed.

"Yeah, I did but I couldn't do it," Gabriella responded, her eyes wandering down his chest, averting his gaze.

"Why?" asked Troy, relief spreading through his body.

She looked back up to his piercing blue eyes. You," she said simply. "It's just like you said for yourself. I've always been a one-nighter girl and I've acted on my desires as I've pleased with no strings attached." She tightly gripped his hands as she spoke and her voice tremored a little with nerves.

She continued, "Then you came along and I realized that with you, I wouldn't mind the possibility of strings." At that moment Troy took her jaw and cupped it firmly in his palm, his eyes intent on hers. She went on, "I always believed there would be someone who would someday stir that in me. I just didn't think it would come wrapped in the package of a fucking cocky bartender," she laughed.

"Oh, that hurts," Troy chuckled, his hands dropped to his chest to clasp his heart. "Just so you know, ever since our kiss in the office, I haven't been with anyone either."

Gabriella placed her hand on top of his. "Look. I think we both know it's too soon to say what all these feelings that are surfacing really mean," she said, her voice earnest and strong. "But at least we both seem to be acknowledging that there are some feelings here that can't be denied." She smirked at him, "I mean, your attitude drives me up the fucking wall but I'll admit that I haven't been able to shake you out of my thoughts since the day I met you either."

"Gabriella, are you saying that you're willing to explore this and see where it goes?" Troy queried, his eyes quickly scanning over hers and his body pressing firmly into hers.

"Yeah" she breathed. "God…I definitely am. I would be crazy to say I'm not."

With her words as his confirmation, Troy's hands found their way into Gabriella's locks and sifted through them; his touch raising tiny bumps all over her skin. Then she became warm all over and she desired to be closer to the source of this heat. Almost in response to Gabriella's unspoken want, Troy caught her hair in his fist and pulled her more deeply into him.

Their lips met and the kiss was long and deep and sweet. Gabriella's arms slipped around Troy's neck and she held tightly to him. His lips worked over hers and his tongue speared her mouth, followed the ridge of her teeth and the sensitive underside of her lip. He stole a moan from the back of her throat and savored it. She felt her breasts swell against his chest and her nipples rubbed across the cotton fabric of his shirt.

His hands left her hair and pulled the covering of his shirt off her shoulder so that he could shower her bare skin with his lips. Gabriella moaned pleasurably at the feeling of his mouth dragging over her and she found herself wanting Troy all over again. She brought his mouth back up to hers and she kissed him fiercely, returning his want measure for measure. She lifted her body into his so that she could feel his hardness pressing back against her. She felt the vibration of his groan against her mouth and the wetness at her core was increasing by the second. She released her mouth from his and they stared at each other, catching their breath. "Fuck," she gasped her voice raspy and weak.

"You are right about one thing though Gabriella," Troy whispered huskily, his forehead pressed into hers. "Trying to work with you every night without wanting to drag you off somewhere and have you fuck me senseless is going to pose a challenge."

Gabriella pulled back from him and her eyes flew open at the thought. "You know, we need to discuss how we are going to handle ourselves around the bar. For one, we have to consider the staff."

Troy appeared nonplussed. "That's not a problem. It's not like you're going to be running around grabbing my ass right?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I appreciate your ability to see the seriousness here. That's not the only issue."

Troy shrugged his shoulders and smirked, "What else is there? You'll just have to control your urges Gabriella."

"Jesus, you're impossible. Weren't you the one who was just making reference to dragging me off and having me fuck you senseless, hmmm?" Gabriella snorted.

"Ok, ok. Let's not get into an argument about who will want to fuck each other more," scoffed Troy. "What's the other issue?"

Gabriella groaned in frustration at Troy's mocking of her but inwardly found it strangely appealing. "Well, let's just say that this new arrangement between us is going to cramp your reputation isn't it"

Troy saw his opportunity and decided to play with Gabriella's mind a little. "It is?" he answered, looking at her playfully.

"Well, I hope the fuck it is!" she said, aghast at his insolence.

Troy laughed at Gabriella falling right into his trap. "Don't worry. Contrary to your popular belief, I am actually in control of my dick and where it goes,"

Gabriella crossed her arms in front of her chest and smiled at him wryly. "Well, I know there's not much I'm going to be able to do about women continuing to shove their phone numbers down your pants, and frankly, I can't afford to have that stop. It wouldn't be good for business."

"Oh really," Troy responded smugly, "so you're all up for throwing me to the lions as long as its good for business? That's a nice way to look after your staff."

"I'm not actually throwing you to them; just dangling you in front of them is all," Gabriella chuckled, eyeing him up and down.

"And what am I going to do at the end of the night when I've had 5 offers for blow jobs and at least as many more for mindless sex?" Troy questioned with feigned arrogance while running his thumbs over Gabriella's collarbones.

Gabriella unbuttoned the one fastener that was keeping her body from being fully exposed to him and slid his shirt off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She leaned into his muscular frame and placed her lips against his neck, sucking and nipping at the sensitive skin there. "You are going to have more than enough woman to handle with me. You'll be satisfied; trust me" she breathed, her breath warm and humid as she ran her tongue down the cord of his neck.

"God Gabriella, you're killing me," Troy groaned, his pulse quickening. She continued teasing him with her lips, teeth and tongue and whispered something he could not quite make out, but what she said was infinitely less important than how she said it. How she said it raised ribbons of heat that twisted and curled under his skin. Her perfect soft and supple breasts rubbed against his chest, pleasing her, but pleasing him more.

He snagged a breath and held it, as she traced the line of his collarbone with the damp edge of her tongue. She sipped his skin at the curve of his neck and shoulder just has he had been doing to her. She left her mark on him, taking possession. Gabriella freely roamed his body with her hands and admired the contrasts between his body and hers; the broad plane of his chest compared to the yielding softness of her own, the spread of his hand against her smaller one, the narrow line of his hip still capable of cradling hers.

She indulged herself in the taste of him, the scent of him and finally the sound of him as he whispered her name in a way that spoke to his pleasure. The heat that came upon them make her next action quick and sure. She took the hem of his boxers and slid them down his legs and allowed herself to fully admire his erect manhood. "God, you're amazing," she gasped, freely admitting to him her appreciation.

Troy turned her around and lifted her up, allowing her legs to wrap around him as her back was up against the wall. She could feel the tip of him against her core and she almost allowed him to take her but her common sense kicked in; "Condom" she panted between raspy breaths.

Troy let her down to the ground and she went to the stash in his nightstand. When Gabriella turned around, she found him standing at the edge of the bed. She gently pushed him back and once he was lying down, Gabriella climbed on top of him, straddling his waist. She pulled the condom from its package and rolled it down Troy's penis, her eyes penetrating his gaze and communicating her pure desire for him. Gabriella lifted her hips and lowered herself onto Troy. "Oh….God," he moaned, his eyes closing at the pleasurable feel of her walls encasing him. He opened them again his eyes shifted from the point of their joining up to meet Gabriella's gaze, her eyelids floating above her beautiful chocolate orbs. Troy saw his own need and satisfaction reflected there.

She moved slowly at first, arching over him like a wave rising from the ocean. He held her hips, pressed his fingers against her bottom, but let the rhythm, the pace, be what she wanted. She worked him slowly but not for long. Greed overtook her and she sped her movement, rising and falling and grinding forward to increase the depth that his length would reach. Troy reached to her clit and gently rubbed the sensitive spot with his thumb. Gabriella called out a resounding cry of pleasure that reinforced he was doing the right thing and she continued to rock her hips against his as she moaned out his name at the sensation of his touch. Troy raised his hips to meet hers and to force himself deeper within her heat.

Troy could feel himself coming close to his climax but did not want to come before Gabriella. "I'm almost there, babe" he hissed.

"Come with me Troy," she chanted back and tensed her muscles around his length allowing her orgasm to fully envelop her, surrendering herself in a wave of primal pleasure. She took him with her in her wake. Troy's breathing was furious and uneven.

Neither of them spoke immediately afterward; the tremors of their orgasms were too sweet to interrupt. They lay unmoving, her chest resting on his, waiting for their hearts to stop hammering. Gabriella's face was turned against Troy's neck and Troy had one arm flung across her back, like a paperweight, keeping her in place.

"God." Troy made the low, guttural response with feeling.

"Mmmm."

"I am completely ruined…again."

"Mmmm."

Gabriella's eyelids fluttered against his neck and she looked over at the clock. "Shit," she murmured. "I've got to go."

Troy looked over at the beacon of the digital display that confirmed it was late in the afternoon. "Fuck," he murmured. "Fuck work."

"Not exactly the right choice of words to say in front of your boss, Mr. Bartender," chuckled Gabriella as she lifted her body off of Troy's. She was quickly off the bed in search of her clothes that were strewn all over the place.

Troy peeled off the condom and tossed it aside. He rose from the bed and followed Gabriella out of the bedroom watching her nude form gather up her clothes. He realized it was a sight that he could happily get very used to seeing and a smug grin crossed his lips. She turned around to look at him. "You're looking rather proud of yourself there," she said. "Not feeling any urgency to get dressed?" she added as he eyes traveled over his naked flesh.

"You don't seem to mind the view," he responded with a smirk.

Gabriella sighed, "Uh, no, I don't. But don't you need to get to the bar soon?" Gabriella had already donned her jeans and was currently fastening her bra.

"Can't wait to see me again, huh?" Troy teased walking up to her and taking hold of her hips from behind, his hands slipping around to her smooth flat tummy. He buried his nose into the crook of her neck and took a deep breath, taking in her sweet scent. "Hmmm, you smell like a woman who has been well sexed."

"Oh no, mister. Hands off," Gabriella shrieked, pulling away from his grasp. She quickly pulled on her tank top. "It takes me a little longer to get beautiful for work than you. I have to get out of here."

She grabbed her purse and her workout bag and headed for the door and then stopped at the sound of Troy clearing his throat. She turned and found Troy standing with his arms folded and smiling at her. "What?" she laughed, looking stunned at his still apparent lack of urgency to get ready.

Troy raised one eyebrow and pointed to his cheek. Gabriella couldn't help but fall for the look of mournful hurt on his face, even though she knew it was completely painted on for her benefit. She dropped her bags and waltzed over to him. "Uh, uh" she shook her head. "A kiss on the cheek is what you get from your grandmother." She grabbed his face and covered his lips with hers. Her tongue surged into his mouth and caressed his lips. She pressed her mouth harder onto his, deepening the kiss briefly before withdrawing and giving him one final peck. "I love your lips," she said, her voice just above a whisper. She turned from him again, picked up her bags once more and grabbed the door knob to let herself out.

"Bye sexy," he said back. "See you at work."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

As Gabriella made her way back to her car, her head was reeling. She was elated but that happiness was laced with such trepidation. Of course, she was thrilled to have found a man that she actually wanted to keep in her life longer than 12 hours but the situation couldn't have been more complicated. Well, probably there were more complicated scenarios that she could dream up if she wanted to, but for her present life, this was complicated enough.

However, nothing that had happened in the last few hours felt like a mistake. Everything seemed right. She would just have to manage her actions and her feelings to maintain a professional image at work. And for her father…her father! "_Oh God. I forgot about him. This should make for an interesting lunch date now," she pondered._

Gabriella's mind was so distracted she hardly remembered how she managed to drive herself home. She put her key in the lock of her penthouse and glanced at her watch.She didn't have time for another shower because her hair would never dry in time. The way it looked right now wouldn't do either, though. She decided hot rollers would give it the necessary life it needed. She ambled to her bathroom and felt the cool of the marble beneath her feet. All of her senses felt completely invigorated. She pulled the set of rollers out from under her vanity and plugged them in. She bounced over to her expansive walk in closet to choose her outfit while the rollers heated up.

She opted for a silver metallic jersey tube top that was somewhat loose but extremely sexy. It was banded at the waist and had a light ruffle at the bust line and ruffle asymmetrically down the front. She decided to pair it with a straight black skirt that just hit above her knees. Her shoes were edgier with a several buckle strap details. She kept her jewelry minimal as usual with her favorite diamond earrings and a large silver cuff on her wrist.

Feeling good about her wardrobe, she made her way back to the bathroom and began to roll her hair. Her thoughts meandered back to Troy. He had completely surpassed her expectations of what kind of a lover she imagined he would be. She had expected him to be more demanding and aggressive to go along with his personality, but instead found that his passion was threaded with patience and sweetness almost as if to savor every moment. She was so surprised by his tenderness. She closed her eyes and felt his hands running over her and his lips and tongue teasing her flesh. She shivered even though her body was flooded with warmth. She had certainly been with men before who were skilled in bed but Troy's sexual abilities weren't what had her heart racing. It was how engaged and connected they were to each other. She had felt something spectacular with him to the depths of her soul and gauging from his behavior, he had too.

Her hair completely set in rollers; she began to work on her make-up. Since she was bare shouldered, she dusted on a little body glitter. She fine lined her eyes and touched on just the faintest amount of shimmery pewter powder across her lids. She needed very little mascara due to the thickness of her lashes. A couple of strokes of the brush and she was done. Finally, some clear gloss on her lips was all that was need to highlight their fullness. She checked one of the rollers on her head. It was just barely cool but it would have to do. She slowly unraveled all the rollers from her hair and let the gentle curls fall over her shoulders. She ran her fingers gently through the silky locks and even though her hair was a bit mellower than the usual result, she decided she would have to let it be with no more fussing. She was ready to go and face reality.

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Troy was feeling pretty famished after his afternoon of ravishing and being ravished. He fixed himself a quick peanut butter and banana sandwich and replayed the day's events from 6 am onwards. Gabriella had been amazing in bed but that had really come as no surprise. What had his motor running was the realization that he was going to see her again at The Oasis; the nature of their relationship having been transformed more acutely than he might have ever hoped. Not that he was even sure he was going to have a first time with her, but what they had was certainly not what he would have predicted. He had never taken it so softly and slowly with a woman before, so that was a unique beginning and he was glad for it. He wasn't going so far as to convince himself quite yet that she was "the one" but his mind was wide open to the possibility.

After downing the sandwich, he gulped down a glass of water and proceeded to get dressed. There was no time left in the day for studying as he still had prep work to do at the bar before opening. He put on a v neck black t-shirt and dark denim jeans, slipping a studded black leather belt through the belt loops; he never strayed too much from this typical uniform.

As he left his apartment and turned the key in the lock, he did so with a huge smile on his face with the memories of what had transpired there in the last several hours. Anticipation of seeing Gabriella again swept over him as he made his way to work.

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Troy had arrived at the bar just before Gabriella and she found him behind the bar preparing garnishes and double checking the mixers. Gabriella sighed as she formed the mental picture of his exquisite naked body that was now hidden beneath his clothes, while dually acknowledging that even fully dressed, he still had the ability to set her senses afire. He looked up at her and his gaze drifted up and down her body. When brilliant blue met chocolate brown, he sent her an adorable wink. Gabriella made her way over to the bar to say hello.

"Are you trying to fucking kill me being dressed like that, boss?" Troy whispered huskily with an undertone of amusement while he ran his finger along the top edge of her strapless top.

Catching her breath in her throat, Gabriella's body twinged under Troy's feather light touch. "Just making sure you keep your eyes on the prize," she responded while poking her finger into his chest and then added under her breath, "but try to remember that you've got to look without touching or else we're both going to be in a shitload of trouble."

"You wearing a strapless bra under that top, boss?" Troy inquired, eyebrows raised.

"Nope," she mused. "Any other questions about my underwear you'd like answered?" Gabriella teased.

"Sure, if you're in the mood for telling. Whatcha got on under that sexy skirt of yours?" Troy continued. He was loving this flirtation game even though he was going to have to monitor it didn't go too far.

"Funny you should ask that," she chuckled offhandedly. "I think I decided to forgo that piece of lingerie as well," she winked, slipping away from behind the bar, knowing she would be leaving him in a state of near frenzy.

Troy placed both hands on the bar to brace himself. _"God, you had to ask Bolton, didn't you?" he thought. _ He cursed himself for his curiosity which had now left him with a rather uncomfortable situation with respect to his lower anatomy. He watched Gabriella, her make her way to the back of the bar, no doubt to say hello to the cook and check in on kitchen preparations.

Troy continued to busy himself with his preparations and tried to steer his thoughts away from how he was going to reap his revenge on his sultry boss.

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A couple of hours later, Troy and Gabriella found themselves entirely tied up with the capacity crowd that filled the bar. Troy knew that after the closing tonight, he'd have to do a quick check on stock as he realized some things would need replenishing before the next usual order. A full house didn't rattle Troy at all. In fact, he really seemed to step up to the challenge head on. The waitresses, however, were becoming flustered and unable to keep up, so Gabriella really had to work her magic to keep the customers happy and fill in the gaps where necessary.

Her feet needing a bit of reprieve, she grabbed a seat that was near the hostess' station. She didn't dare remove her shoes but she kneaded her calves and did some circular movements with her ankles to get some better blood flow happening. She allowed the brief moment of rest to let her eyes wander over to the bar area and see how Troy was faring. Of course, he was managing everything handily. He saw him bouncing between conversations with two corporate looking middle aged men and a couple of women who were seated next to them, mixing drinks as he went. They could have been two couples that had just split into partners of the same sex for conversation sake, but with the way the women had their stools turned away from the men, Gabriella made the assumption they were not together.

Gabriella caught sight of one woman who had grasped onto Troy's wrist in an attempt to prevent him from moving away from them. The emotion that flashed through her brain was not of jealousy, because this was all normal behavior, but more annoyance that these women were oblivious to the fact that Troy was literally being run off his feet with drink orders and had much less time for his usual flirtatious dalliances. They were obviously wrapped up in their own world of self indulgence and need for his gratuitous flattery. Gabriella briefly allowed her mind to flip to the future and prayed that by the time she reached the age of these women, she would be in the type of secure relationship that she would not need to seek assuredness of her desirability outside of the relationship or outside of herself. She felt sorry that these women had to look for Troy's attention to convince themselves that they were still attractive.

In the meantime, watching Troy playfully return the attention of his female patrons all the while not missing a beat with bartending responsibilities, Gabriella was finding herself increasingly distracted by his magnetic pull. She realized it was going to take a lot of discipline to keep her feelings in check. She was both proud and sexually stimulated by his masculine charm and amazing work ethic.

Suddenly, one of her waitresses came rushing up to Gabriella and shocked her out of her trance. A particular male client had become overly friendly with one of the other waitresses and it required Gabriella's intervention.

"Ms. Montez, we need your help right now," Charlene sputtered out breathlessly.

Gabriella whipped her head to face Charlene and stood up. "What's happened, Charlene? Is someone hurt?"

"Not exactly. There's this asshole that hasn't been able to keep his hands off Brenda all night and she's pretty upset," Charlene cried but keeping her voice low so that only Gabriella could hear her.

"You should have come to me sooner. You know I don't tolerate you girls being handled," Gabriella responded crossly. "Come on. Point him out to me."

As they quickly made their way to the section the offending man was seated in, Charlene apologized, "I'm sorry Ms. Montez. We knew you were super busy because it's so crazy tonight but when I saw you sitting down, I thought it would be ok to let you know."

"Never mind about that now. Just don't let it happen again," Gabriella reassured her. Charlene put her arm in front of Gabriella to stop her.

"See that guy with the grey suit and open collared black shirt? That's the guy," Charlene spoke into Gabriella's ear.

Gabriella's eyes narrowed as she went in for the kill. She confidently made her way over to the table where the man and his companion were sitting. They had clearly put away several drinks between them.

Gabriella gently cleared her throat. "Sir, I've had a complaint that you've been making advances to one of my waitresses that has crossed the line to where she is extremely upset," Gabriella began.

The burly man looked upward at her from his seat and lustfully ran his gaze over Gabriella's body, an action to which she didn't flinch but made her stomach tie up in knots. She knew his type and with the addition of being filled with liquid courage, she knew this was going to get ugly.

"Oh really now," he smirked back. "Why don't you sit down on my lap here sweetheart and tell me about it," patting his lap as he chuckled to his friend. "I think I like you better anyhow."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sir, I don't want to ask you to leave but I need to warn you that I have a strict hands-off policy with my waitresses. In addition, if you continue to make unwanted verbal advances to any of my staff, I will have to request that you take your business elsewhere."

At this comment, the man's face fell serious and he became agitated. "Who the fuck are you to tell me what I can and can't do? I thought Bolton over there was in charge of this bar."

Gabriella remained calm. "I can assure you that Troy Bolton would not condone your behavior, sir, but he is not in charge of this bar. I am the new management. My name is Gabriella Montez and I will kindly ask you to watch your language."

The man rose to his feet and prepared to face off with Gabriella. "Listen here. I was just having a bit of fun and your dumb ass waitress obviously got the wrong idea. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to sit down and continue with my evening. I don't need your warning."

"I don't think there's any way to misinterpret your groping my employee so I beg to differ that you do need my warning," Gabriella insisted, her voice becoming more forceful. She wanted this guy gone. She definitely did not need his money.

"Fine bitch. I get your message. Now let me get back to my drinks," he rudely spewed and proceeded to sit back down, turning his stool away so that his shoulder was now facing her.

"And that would be your cue to go. Clearly we have a misunderstanding about what is acceptable behavior in this establishment. Please leave my bar now. I don't care if your bill is settled or not." Gabriella retorted, not backing down. She was really pissed off.

Again the man rose to his feet again and this time he grabbed Gabriella's wrist. In the meantime, Charlene had hustled her way over to Troy and got his attention, wildly gesturing over to where Gabriella was. Troy's eyes widened when he saw Gabriella's tiny wrist being encircled by the man's huge hand. He quickly made his way over to Gabriella and dropped his hand forcefully onto the man's shoulder bringing his mouth close to the man's head from behind, "Let's make this easy on everyone. First up, I suggest you let you let go of the lady before I put your balls on ice. Second up, I think you have been asked to leave. Make it happen before this gets unnecessarily ugly."

The man dropped Gabriella's wrist and half turned to see that it was Troy who had spoken to him. Troy cocked his eyebrow at him in a gesture that assured the man he was entirely serious. The man shrugged his shoulders, let out a huge snort and decided it was not worth making a scene. He took his wallet out of his pocket and forcefully threw $200 cash on the table and stalked out of the bar.

Gabriella breathed out a huge sigh of relief as she rubbed her wrist in contempt. "Guess I might have to look into hiring a bouncer," she conceded. "What a jerk!"

Troy gave her a concerned look. "You ok?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I've had to fight off guys like him before. Thank-you for doing what you did though. He was way too drunk to listen to reason. Your timing was perfect," she smiled, running her hands over her skirt.

Troy admired her for not falling apart under the circumstances. Many women would, all things considered. "Well, you can thank Charlene. If she hadn't come to get me, I might not have noticed what was happening until it was too late."

"Well, I can't afford to put you or any of my staff at risk like that again. I'm going to have to book a security company for the door until I can find some guys on my own," explained Gabriella. "You aren't going to be any good to me if your arm is in a cast or your jaw ends up broken."

Troy leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Good to you in what way, boss; at work or outside work?"

"Both, smartass. Now get your cute one back behind the bar," smirked Gabriella into his neck, resisting the urge to slap his behind.

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Two hours later, the bar was empty and the cook had already gone home for the night. Troy was behind the bar noting which spirits would need reordering first thing tomorrow. He knew his liquor supplier would be able to deliver short notice but Troy would have to be diligent with getting the order in early so that it could arrive by mid afternoon.

Gabriella was busy working on the deposit so she could put it in the safe and take it to the bank tomorrow. "Wow, that was a huge night!" she called out to Troy stuffing the cash into a large envelope and sealing it.

"Glad to hear it, boss." Troy mumbled back, not looking up from what he was doing.

Gabriella walked over and began lowering the black-out blinds along the front of the bar. When she had finished she made her way over to where Troy was and found him diligently making his list, looking adorable with his tongue resting at the corner of his mouth.

"Hey you, almost done?" she asked. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his front, her fingers raking over his t-shirt clad chest but still feeling the tautness of his muscles through the thin fabric.

"Just finished now," he responded triumphantly, placing the pencil down on the counter and turning to face her.

"That's what I was hoping," Gabriella managed to say before her lips found her way onto Troy's. Heat scorched at the exact moment their lips touched. "God, I have been dying to do this all night long," she mumbled against his mouth.

Her tongue gently meandered along the inside of his lips until finding its way into the welcoming recesses of his mouth. She hummed in satisfaction at its successful entry. Troy had already loosened his t-shirt from his pants so her hands easily roamed up underneath and began trailing over his warm skin. Her lips were still caressing his and the kisses were becoming increasingly passionate. Their need was mutual, immediate and powerful.

"Mmmm, I love your touch," groaned Troy.

"I love touching you more," groaned Gabriella back, smiling against his lips.

Troy moved his mouth away from hers and grazed his lips over Gabriella's cheek and down her graceful neck, pausing in the crook of her neck to lightly lick the tender and sensitive skin there. He pulled back a little and swept his eyes over her breasts, noticing her hardened nipples through the shiny fabric and he felt his cock quiver in reaction. He reached behind her and pulled her close so that his lips were pressed up against her ear. "I really love this top on you but I'd really like it much more if it were off," Troy exhaled, his hot breath tickling her skin.

Gabriella sighed deeply in response and let her hands wander down to the hem of his t-shirt. "You first," she responded and swiftly lifted it up, while Troy raised his arms to let her finish the job. Her hands splayed across his chest and his flesh was warm and responsive. He immediately spotted the zipper that ran down the side of Gabriella's top and his fingers made quick work of tugging it down to loosen its grip on her body. She allowed Troy to slip the top away, revealing her bare pert breasts. Troy lowered his head and ran his tongue in circles around her areola, stopping occasionally to suck at the supple skin and flick her hardened nipple with his tongue. Slender ribbons of heat curled in Gabriella's belly and she closed her eyes as she felt the rhythmic tug of his mouth on her breast. She arched into him, wanting more, and he moved his attention to her other breast.

Gabriella's fingers plowed through his chestnut hair and she threw her head back in pleasure as Troy ran his tongue up between her breasts to the hollow of her throat and paused, blowing his hot breath against it.

She started playing with the buckle of his belt. "Did I tell you how fucking sexy this belt is by the way?" she murmured.

"I don't think I've ever had anyone tell me my belt was sexy, but I'll go with it babe," Troy laughed, surprised at her finding pleasure in the details.

"Well, it is," she said, while working the buckle loose and getting to work on the button and fly of his jeans. "Thank God for zippers this time," she blurted out.

Troy was amused with her. "Are you just a little horny Gabriella?"

"And you are minding this? Cuz I can just stop if you'd rather," she said teasingly, dropping her hands and looking at him coyly.

"Don't you dare! Get back to what you were doing," Troy exclaimed taking her hands and placing them back where they were.

"If you insist," Gabriella said, her voice trailing off. Once she had the zipper down, she maneuvered her small hands under his jeans and traced her fingers along the edge of his boxers, occasionally slipping a finger beneath and pulling them away from his waist. She scored her nails lightly over the tanned skin of his abdomen.

"You're a tease, you know that?" Troy muttered, his breath becoming ragged.

"You're about to find out more about that," Gabriella replied, her voice tantalizing Troy with its sexy undertones. She made her final conquest on his jeans and boxers, sliding them down his legs in one movement. She drank in the beauty of his erect penis and fell to her knees before it, seductively glancing up at Troy with her darkened eyes.

"You are naughty Gabriella," Troy gasped huskily while shaking his head at her; anticipating what was coming, he gripped the countertop firmly.

"Be thankful," Gabriella said smugly and with a wicked smile, she proceeded to go in for what she was after. She began with the tip of her tongue at the base of his shaft, playfully taunting the sensitive organ. She ran it up and down the full length several times until she finally reached the tip and paused. Above her, she heard Troy's raspy breaths egging her on. She allowed her tongue to circle around the head of his penis, carefully teasing the cleft. She repeated this movement several times.

"Fuck Gabriella, this is good," Troy choked out.

She started taking in the head first, letting her mouth lubricate him so his cock could slide in and out over her lips. She controlled how much of him could enter by keeping her lips tight. Slowly she opened her mouth wider and let him slip in deeper, her tongue still wondrously stroking his hardened shaft, eliciting stifled grunts of ecstasy from the receiver of Gabriella's pleasuring. She began to get a rhythm going and Troy started to move his hips a little. He was sensitive to the fact that he didn't want to overwhelm her but it was becoming more and more difficult for him to hold back. One hand slipped into her hair and caressed the soft ebony locks.

She opened her mouth fully and completely engulfed him, her lips giving some pressure but not too much. She continued to move her head back and forth as she felt the steady pulse that throbbed within his penis. Troy let out a strangled groan and panted out, "Jesus Gabriella, I'm so close." She increased the speed of her movements and her magical tongue continued to bring him closer and closer to the brink. She reached up and cupped his balls, fingering them gently.

"Oh my god Gabriella. Fuck. I'm cumming babe," he hissed, barely managing to speak. He soared to the peak of his orgasm and felt the wave of pleasure hit him like nothing he had ever experienced from any other blow job. He shuddered released everything he had down Gabriella's throat and gasped out her name one last time for good measure. She swallowed and withdrew her head slowly, letting him gracefully glide from the warm cavern of her mouth. She began to work her way back up by planting kisses on his abdomen and chest until she reached his face again. When she was fully standing, she saw that he still had his eyes closed, enjoying the aftermath of his orgasmic high. His chest was heaving up and down and was glistening slightly with a light layer of moisture.

She ran her tongue over her lips and planted a juicy kiss on his; to which Troy opened his eyes, stared at Gabriella and smiled at her with full admiration. "Um, that was pretty fucking amazing," he stated blissfully. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace and let his fingers lightly swirl over her smooth back.

Gabriella pulled away first. "Seemed to do the trick," she stated happily while pulling on her top and zipping the side again.

"Whoa there, boss. Are we all done here? Don't I get to return the favor?" Troy asked, disappointment crossing his face at the sight of Gabriella's breasts no longer exposed to his lusting eyes and the idea that the evening's pleasuring appeared to be a one sided affair.

"Oh no. We are definitely not done but I'm taking you back to my place. I'm not comfortable going home alone tonight after what happened with that creep." Gabriella stated. Her tone then immediately changed to cheeky flirtation and she rested her palms on his ribcage. "I just couldn't resist you any longer so you got lucky." She winked at him and cocked her head to one side.

"That's putting it mildly," Troy responded, looking at Gabriella with lustful incredulousness. He was definitely astounded at his amazing luck.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Troy woke to the smell of brewing coffee. The welcome aroma told him that Gabriella was already up and out of bed. _"Damn," he thought. "Well, maybe I can lure her back after a caffeine fix." _ A satisfied grin crossed his lips at the thought of her luscious full lips groaning his name while she lay beneath him, writhing in pleasure.

Troy propped himself up on his elbow and scanned Gabriella's bedroom. Everything was as he would have expected; simple and elegant. The walls, bedding and soft furnishings were all shades of warm cream. The one piece of artwork was a black and white abstract painting of free form brush strokes. He noticed the novel on the bedside table, "Pride and Prejudice" and he smiled. He had never actually read the book but knew enough of the story having seen the movie version. He hedged a bet that, knowing Gabriella's fiery personality, it was probably her favorite novel and she had likely read it numerous times before.

He slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. Realizing that they were probably not quite at the stage where he could parade around her apartment totally nude, he slipped on his boxer briefs before exiting the bedroom to find Gabriella. When they arrived at her penthouse the night before, he was far more interested in getting her straight to the bedroom, so they had skipped the grand tour. As he followed his nose by the smell of the coffee and his ears by the sounds of Gabriella's rustling in the kitchen, he took the opportunity to quickly take in his surroundings. The living room furniture was elegant but not stuffy; appropriate for someone her age. It appeared that she appreciated comfort above anything else. Her sectional sofa was deep and thickly cushioned rather than streamlined and taut. There were oversized throw cushions on the floor and a thick shag carpet that Troy imagined would feel very soothing to bare feet. He imagined Gabriella arriving in her apartment and kicking off her sky-high stiletto shoes and letting the texture of the carpet massage the soles of her feet. Most of the artwork was abstract, save for one beautiful black and white photograph of a woman cradling a baby against her naked breast. Troy guessed instantly that it was Gabriella's mother holding Gabriella as an infant and he was immediately warmed by the image. He suspected that it was probably the most cherished item in her entire apartment.

He didn't see a lot of knick knacks or other things that just collect dust. Any item that was on display seemed to be of some sentimental value or a treasured find from a holiday. There was an antique cross perched on top of a coffee table book. He noticed a collection of shells haphazardly displayed on one end of her dining room credenza. He imagined her carefully choosing each one while strolling along a secluded white sand beach, the waves gently rolling over feet and fine speckles of sand clinging to her beautifully shaped calves. _"What's with getting lost in all these thoughts about Gabriella? You're acting like a guy who's…"_ Troy was snapped out of his daydream by the sound of a kitchen drawer closing.

Gabriella in the meantime was busily gathering a smattering of breakfast type foods for her and Troy to share. Although she wasn't nervous about it, she had never had a guy stay for breakfast with her. Either she was pushing them out the door with the excuse that she had to get to her yoga class or without an excuse at all if she was feeling especially ungracious. She certainly had never been interested in trying to engage in small talk the morning after sex. When the deed was done, the purpose for the man being there was done as well. With Troy, however, she wanted to prolong his leaving as long as possible but without seeming clingy or desperate. She was pretty sure he wouldn't be terribly anxious to disappear, but she realized that he might need to get some studying done since he didn't get the chance crack his books open the day before. She smirked to herself, _"Doubt he's complaining about that though." _

She had no idea that he was already out of bed and silently watching her arrange the cups and plates, carafe of coffee and bowls of fruit, yogurt and granola on a tray. He crept up behind her and slid his hands around her waist and gently began caressing her stomach with his thumbs over the silky fabric of her camisole. At his first touch, Gabriella jumped a little with surprise but relaxed instantly at the feeling of warmth that the closeness of his body and breath brought to her skin. She leaned her head back into his chest, closed her eyes contentedly and hummed out a "good morning."

"Good morning yourself, beautiful," Troy whispered against her ear, sending shivers down Gabriella's spine. He continued paying her his morning respects by littering light kisses down the nape of her neck. Gabriella quivered with delight at his attentiveness. She surprised herself at the thought presently pervading her mind, _"Hmmm, I could really get used to this." _Her eyelids flickered and then she realized where she was again. She interrupted her wandering mind and said, "Come on, you must be hungry. Let's eat."

"I'm only hungry because you tired me out, Gabriella. You're lucky I've got the stamina to keep up with you between the sheets," replied Troy, giving her breasts he was currently cupping a gentle squeeze.

"Someone's cocky. If you're talking stamina, I'd be more than happy to test your limits," Gabriella replied back as she grabbed the tray and started heading towards the patio.

"Test away, sweetheart. I'm up for the challenge," Troy retorted.

"Indeed you are," she smirked while her eyes flicked down to his beginning erection.

"Just be happy that when you're turned on, it isn't so physically evident," Troy winked. He wasn't embarrassed at all by the effect that touching Gabriella's body had on him. If he was, he wouldn't be parading around in only his boxers.

Troy followed Gabriella out onto the patio and took a seat at the table where she had placed the tray. "Help yourself," Gabriella said, while motioning to the tray. "I can't guarantee my coffee is as good as the place we got it from yesterday, but it beats having to go out for it."

Troy took in the beautiful view and allowed himself to relax in the warmth of the morning sun. Normally, he would see a place like Gabriella's and immediately his suspicions would be raised about her being a spoiled princess living off of daddy's money. However, already knowing Gabriella's work ethic, her commitment to learning the ropes and how much she really cared about the success of The Oasis, he did not judge her that way. He did view her as being the fortunate recipient of being able to have such a beautiful apartment but he didn't begrudge her for it.

"So, tell me, how many times have you actually read Pride and Prejudice anyway?" Troy inquired, giving Gabriella a nudge and popping a strawberry in his mouth.

"Oh god, too many times to count. It's my 'go-to' book," Gabriella chuckled mildly.

"Go-to for what?" Troy asked, genuinely interested. He placed a huge dollop of yogurt in a bowl and sprinkled some granola on top.

"Well, when I need to feel at home. When I need to find myself again. When I need to get my bearings. When I need to be inspired. Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect heroine," Gabriella explained. As she was explaining her reasons, the sparkle that consumed Gabriella's eyes was not lost on Troy. It was the same look that Gabriella noticed in Troy when she asked him to expound on his favorite business course.

"Was there any particular reason that propelled you to read it again now? I noticed it on your bedside table." Troy was probing, even though he had a pretty good guess as to why she might be inclined to relate to the independently spirited Elizabeth at this time. He took a spoonful of the yogurt and granola mixture into his mouth.

Gabriella pursed her lips together and looked at Troy wryly. Dare she tell him that he was the cause of her taking up the novel again; that it was because she found herself fantasizing in the bathtub about him and felt she needed a good dose of Elizabeth to shake her senses straight. Gabriella was smart enough to know that Troy had probably figured he was the reason but that didn't mean she had to verbally acknowledge it.

"There might have been a certain stubborn and cocky someone who compelled me in that direction," Gabriella responded with a playful lilt in her voice, unable to help the corners of her lips from curling up. She decided it would be more fun to play the game than to feign coyness. Troy was too smart to see past it.

"I guess that makes me your Mr. Darcy then," Troy laughed.

"Do you have a marvelous country estate and millions of dollars stowed away somewhere that you didn't tell me about?" Gabriella teased, taking great enjoyment in the playful banter.

"Wasn't Mr. Darcy's fortune irrelevant to Elizabeth's attraction to him? I thought it was his raw sex appeal," Troy mused, crossing his arms and legs in front of him simultaneously. This caused his upper arm muscles to be flexed and Gabriella found her eyes drifting to their tensed beauty.

"Sex appeal indeed. The onus was on Mr. Darcy to grow in Elizabeth's good graces. He had offended her severely in more ways than one," Gabriella snorted.

"Offended maybe, but Elizabeth was wrong to dismiss him so early in the story. Isn't that the idea; her pride and prejudice got in the way?" Troy continued. He was grateful for having seen the movie, because he would be missing out on a completely entertaining conversation right now if he hadn't, even if his understanding of the themes was surface at best.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well, Elizabeth may have made some errors in judgment but Darcy certainly gave her very little to work with in the first place. He called her family objectionable; he criticized her looks, interfered with her sister's and Mr. Bingley's affections and demeaned her status as a worthy marriage partner, which was the worst of all. When he proposed to her the first time, he said he did so against his will and better judgment. I think he lost any raw sex appeal pretty fucking quickly."

Troy found it completely adorable and sexy to see how worked up Gabriella was getting. He eyed her up and down and wanted nothing more than to drag her back to her bedroom and use her riled up emotions to his advantage.

"By the way, I didn't take you for a Pride and Prejudice kind of guy. How come you know anything about it all, Troy?" Gabriella quipped, and giving him a light kick in the shin with her bare foot.

"Oh, my mom made me go and see the movie with her when I was home for Christmas the year that it was released," Troy explained.

"Hmmm, that explains your rather light treatment of the text then," Gabriella said, smiling while shaking her head. "I didn't think you had read it in its pure form. Even still, I'm surprised you managed to sit through to the end of the movie."

"Do you take me for a guy who would abandon his own mother in a dark movie theatre? I'm crushed, Gabriella." Troy pouted while picking up a grape and tossing it at her and landing squarely in her lap.

Gabriella shot Troy a mocking look of "how dare you" and shook her finger at him. She took a big sip of coffee and slowly stood up. She sidled over to Troy and climbed onto his lap, facing him square on. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"I'm glad I didn't let my early prejudices towards you keep us from getting to this exact moment," Gabriella said, then thoughtfully added, "And I'm glad you didn't write me off either."

Troy opened his mouth to respond, but Gabriella prevented him by covering his lips with hers. Her tongue graced along his upper lip and then found its way in to his mouth, languidly exploring and teasing. He responded by meeting his tongue with hers and the two gently played with each other, deepening the kiss. Gabriella's fingers traced over his shoulders and down to his rock hard chest, her thumbs brushing over his nipples and over his ribcage. Troy had his hands resting on Gabriella's hips and his thumbs began wandering over her hipbones, his hands slowly meandering to her lower backside. He slid his hands under her boy shorts and gripped her behind, causing Gabriella to smile against his lips.

"Speaking of raw sex appeal…" Troy mumbled against her mouth, his voice trailing off.

"Oh no you don't. We actually have an important matter to discuss." Gabriella said, leaning back and resting on Troy's hardened thighs.

"Please don't let it be about work," Troy pleaded. "Pretend you're not my boss and I'm not your employee just a bit longer."

Gabriella giggled. "It's not exactly about work but it's related. We need to set up that lunch date with my father, remember?"

Troy groaned. Not because he didn't want to have lunch, but because he didn't want Gabriella to change the subject from the passionate moment they were enjoying.

"Just set it up Gabriella; I'm fine with it," Troy said, trying to pull her back close to him again so he could pick up where they were.

Gabriella placed her hands on Troy's chest and pushed herself back. "We need to discuss how we will handle ourselves with my dad. I don't want him knowing we're 'involved.' At least not yet."

"Don't worry Gabriella," Troy said reassuringly. "I can act whatever way you think is right."

"Troy, my father has not got to where he is in life without being a very good reader of people. He picks up on things you would never imagine," Gabriella responded, biting her lip with worry.

"So, do you think it would be a big problem if he found out we are together?" Troy asked, eyebrows raised. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"Hardly; but I don't want to give him any reason to think that I'm being less than professional with the responsibilities I've been given at The Oasis. Somehow, I think bedding down the bartender might not make the list for proper managerial behavior," Gabriella said flatly.

"It makes my list," Troy said cheekily, tapping Gabriella's ass.

"I'm serious Troy," Gabriella insisted.

"Teasing, teasing," Troy retorted, pecking Gabriella on the nose. "Gabriella, I am a master chameleon. You've seen me in action behind the bar. I can transform from flirtatious cad to smooth business talker in seconds flat. Our bedroom secrets are safe with me."

"I don't know Troy, my father can pretty much find out anything he wants to," Gabriella said wistfully.

"You are completely adorable when you are worried. You do this thing with your lips," Troy smiled, taking one finger and tracing her lips with it.

"So, you're ok with any day for lunch then?" Gabriella said, ignoring his comment and sweet gesture. "I want to get this over with. The longer the lead up is, the more nervous I will get."

"OK by me," Troy said, remaining patient. "I will be a perfect gentleman." He gently stroked her cheek in an effort to settle her down. She was clearly distracted and uptight.

Gabriella gazed at him, suddenly realizing how absolutely wonderful he was being about her obsessiveness over this issue. "Thank-you Troy. I appreciate this." She placed her hand on top of his and laced their fingers together.

"Show me," Troy said in a husky tone.

"Hmm, what?" Gabriella murmured, becoming more lost in the deep blue ocean of his eyes.

"Show me how much you appreciate it," he said, pulling her finger into his mouth and gently sucking on it.

"Greedy?" she mildly chuckled.

"You can hardly blame me. I've got the most beautiful woman in the world perched on my lap, dangerously close to my aching cock. How long did you expect me to last in this position?" Troy groaned and pulled Gabriella in deeper to him.

Gabriella maneuvered a little, rolling her hips so that her boy short shielded core was pressed up tightly against Troy's boxer covered penis. "How dangerous is dangerously close?" Gabriella breathed against Troy's lips.

Troy cupped his hands under Gabriella's behind and stood up, her legs wrapping around his waist. He sunk his lips into her graceful neck and lightly flicked her skin with his tongue. "You're about to find out," he muttered against her warm flesh and started carrying her back inside.

When they stepped inside the penthouse, Troy gently placed Gabriella back on the ground and took her by the hand, leading her to the master suite. Curiously, he by-passed the bed and headed for the bathroom. The light bulb inside Gabriella's head came on and she realized Troy wanted them to shower together. A huge smile overtook her face as she already began to daydream about lathering Troy's perfectly chiseled body and being able to feel every sculpted detail.

"You look pleased with our destination," Troy said, spying Gabriella's smile. He reached inside the shower stall and turned the dials for the various shower heads. "This shower is a little better equipped than the shower at my place," he joked, a bit nervously.

"It doesn't matter, Troy. They all accomplish the same task," Gabriella replied, trying to deflect Troy away from feeling self conscious about their diverse financial situations.

"True; but you have to admit that showering together at my place would pose some serious mechanical challenges," Troy stated, his back turned from Gabriella while he adjusted the water temperature. "Not to mention…whoa!"

Troy turned around to see that Gabriella had completely stripped out of her sleepwear and was standing in front of him completely nude.

"You were saying, Troy?" she spoke in a sultry tone. She was fixing her long ebony locks up in a large clip which was causing her breasts to rise and fall as her arms shifted positions.

"Uh, never mind," he responded raspily as he slipped his boxer briefs down his legs and stepped out of them.

Gabriella walked towards him, her eyes smoldering and gaze not leaving his piercing blue orbs. She reached down and gently took his penis in her grip, her thumb grazing over the head and palm slowly tracing down his shaft. She stood on her tip toes and whispered in his ear, "Troy, I've been a very dirty girl. Care to help me get cleaned up?'

"Jesus, Gabriella," murmured Troy, practically spurting his load at her caressing movements.

"Well?" she breathed.

"I'm gonna keep you dirty just awhile longer, sweetheart. And then when I'm done with you, we'll negotiate about getting clean," said Troy, yanking her into the steamy enclosure, while his boyish grin melted her heart once again.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's note: First up thanks again to my faithful reviewers. I know the updates aren't coming as regularly as they did when I first started, but that seems to be the trend with most FF's I am following right now, so I don't feel too bad about it. It's obviously a busy time of year. **

**I especially need to give Pandora147 (Dani) extra thanks for the most lovely review of my last chapter. It really encouraged me to know that someone was really "getting it." This story is getting trickier for me to write because the nature of their relationship has changed. While I want to do justice to the fact that they are exclusive, I also do not want to lose the sassy and cocky aspects of their personalities that partly drew the characters to each other in the first place. Hopefully it will work for you.**

Chapter 18

Gabriella had arranged with Troy to meet early at the Four Seasons restaurant. They came in separate cars, at Gabriella's request. Now sitting at the restaurant bar, they were sipping their drinks. Gabriella was dressed in a simple black and white floral chiffon skirt and a form fitting spaghetti strap cami. The way she was perched on the bar stool caused her flirty skirt to ride up mid thigh. Troy's eyes dragged over luscious naturally golden legs.

"You know, Gabriella, if you wanted to keep the nature of our relationship private from your father, you should have chosen your outfit more wisely," Troy leaned in and whispered into her ear, taking a moment to brush the tip of his tongue against her lobe before he pulled away.

Gabriella drew in a quick breath, not expecting Troy's last gesture. "Troy, would you be careful! My father could be arriving at any moment."

"I'm just saying…pants may have been a better choice for today. I don't know if I'll be able to control where my hands go under the table with your legs looking so sexy. It doesn't take much for me to remember how good they feel wrapped around….Mr. Montez," Troy abruptly coughed and stood up from his barstool.

"Wha...?" swallowed a confused looking Gabriella and then she realized what had just occurred. She swiveled around in her seat to meet her father's eyes.

"You two almost look like you were enjoying more than drinks," accused Javier Montez suspiciously but without malice.

"Don't know what on earth you mean, father," Gabriella remarked coolly, also rising from her stool and smoothing out her skirt.

Troy smirked a little and stuck out his hand to Javier and shook it firmly. "Nice to see you again Mr. Montez. I'll go check with the maitre d' to see if our table is ready."

Javier leaned in and kissed his daughter's cheek. "Gabriella, you look lovely; almost glowing," he said and raised his eyebrow slightly at her.

Gabriella knew her father was hinting at something and she winced inside. He was such an astute reader of people's faces. This was going to be challenging. _"Hopefully Troy will be on his best behavior like I warned him," she thought. "And he'd better keep his hands to himself or I don't know if I'll be able to control myself either."_

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As the waiter was clearing away their plates, Gabriella glanced over at Troy and smiled. She tried to disguise the fact that she was in complete awe of him by not looking too dreamy eyed. He had been absolutely perfect and brilliant all the way through lunch. He had managed to fully engage her father over various topics of conversation, ranging from business to foreign policy and others. He also made sure that Gabriella was not made to feel left out in the cold either. Troy invited her opinions and comments; something her father would not have done on his own. Despite the fact that he could have been intimidated by her father, Troy was so secure in himself that he did not need to posture for Javier. He was just being himself. It was an enjoyable lunch complete with intelligent conversation.

She was also aware of the fact that her father was on good behavior as well. Though his nature was always to test the waters, she figured he wasn't trying to throw Troy any big curveballs today. However, she had complete confidence that even if Javier had, Troy would be able to handle them.

Gabriella had to acknowledge that her heart was on the fast track of falling completely for Troy. There didn't seem to be any way that she could stop it and she didn't know if she wanted to. Troy slyly glanced her way and gave her the slightest wink. Her heart jumped a little. She felt like she was 16 years old and experiencing her first crush. She had an inclination that he had strong feelings for her too, because it was so out of character for him to stay with a woman for more than one date. However, she couldn't suppose that his feelings were on par with hers. She wasn't about to make any proclamations of love to him but she wasn't going to stay guarded either. As much as possible, she would just try to be herself and not over think this.

"Gabriella, are you with us?" Troy gave her a little nudge in the elbow.

"Oh sorry about that," Gabriella apologized, her eyes snapping to attention and looking between her two lunch dates. "I guess I was just thinking about the new door security guy and if I'd gone over everything with him thoroughly enough." (_lying)_

"Did I miss something? You need security over at the bar?" Javier queried.

"Oh, it's probably something that should have always been in place, father. Just took a bit of a wake up call for me to realize it sooner." Gabriella replied, trying to downplay the situation.

"What happened?" he asked, his tone becoming too over-protective and father-like.

"Just some jerk who tried to get too familiar with one of the waitresses. Not really a big deal, but not something we want to have repeated without proper staff in place," Gabriella answered in straight forward manner. "Troy and I handled it." She flashed Troy a warning glance. She hoped Troy would read between the lines that her father did not need to know "all" the details of what had gone on between herself and that creep.

Troy gave a small nod that he read her SOS. "Mr. Montez, your daughter is a fierce force to be reckoned with. She handled the situation calmly and with decisiveness."

"I'm not surprised to hear that," Javier agreed, grasping Gabriella's hand. "She's never been one to back down. Beneath all this beauty is simmering fury. There's pure passion in this one, Troy."

"_Oh, I'm completely aware of that," thought Troy, his mind racing back and running over the mind blowing encounters he had already experienced with her._

"Ok, already. You are embarrassing me," said Gabriella, her hand waving in front of her face. She glanced over at Troy who seemed to be distracted. However, she could practically read Troy's mind and knew what thoughts her father had probably invoked with his words. She rolled her eyes but also smiled a little trying to guess what was going on inside his head.

"Troy." Gabriella snapped her fingers in front of his face, "Now who's mind is wandering?" she teased.

"Hmmm? Oh, sorry, just remembering I've got a paper to finish," said Troy, covering his tracks for his lustful daydreaming.

"_Liar," mused Gabriella._

"If that's the case, I don't want to keep you any longer, Troy. I appreciate the time to have lunch with me today. You are juggling a lot and I admire that," Javier commented while rising from his chair. "You've got an amazing future ahead of you Mr. Bolton."

Troy and Gabriella rose with him. Javier's eyes shifted between them and he thought he observed the two of them making some suspicious eye contact. He shrugged it off. It didn't really matter to him what went on between the two. As long as The Oasis was bringing in good money, that's all that mattered. Of course, he cared about the well being of his daughter, but she had always handled her own life, and there was nothing about Troy that made him feel uneasy. It could only get complicated if they were sleeping together and then it didn't work out, which was altogether likely. Gabriella wouldn't fire Troy, but there were plenty of other bars where Troy could find employment without the baggage. Javier Montez couldn't afford to lose his best asset because of an affair gone bad. He would have to give this some thought and perhaps speak to his daughter.

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Gabriella let out a huge sigh. "That went well, don't you think?" she said, her eyes looking expectantly at Troy.

"Gabriella, you are like a little kid worrying about your father's approval," Troy said, shaking his head in disbelief at her insecurity.

"No, I'm not! Well, maybe I am. It's just…I don't want anything to go wrong that would shake his faith in me," she replied, catching the corner of her lower lip between her teeth.

"Gabriella, there are hardly ever times when there aren't glitches in the business world. You just have to use your problem solving skills to get past them, which is what you have been doing," Troy remarked assuredly. Then, he added with a cheeky grin, "Plus, you have me," as he bumped her hip with his.

"Never lacking in the ability to put in a good word for yourself are you?" Gabriella said, bumping him back playfully. "By the way, Troy, you were great today. It's not easy to keep up with my father, but it was no problem for you. I could tell he was honestly enjoying himself too. He doesn't like it when people bend their opinions to meet his. He likes someone who will hold their ground."

"Gabriella, I know I have this persona of the schmoozer bartender who will charm his way to get what he wants…" Troy started.

"That sums it up pretty well," Gabriella teasingly interrupted, chuckling a little.

"Let me finish." Troy took her hands and faced her. "I will admit that part of that persona is really me. I couldn't respect myself at all if I was just one big walking phony. I won't lie. I enjoy being charming and reeling in my prey."

Gabriella's heart dropped a little. What was he trying to say to her? Had she really not used good judgment and allowed herself to be taken?

Troy pulled Gabriella back down to her chair and drew his closer to hers so that they were as near as they could be while still sitting in separate seats.

"I can see you're misunderstanding me already," Troy said softly. "Your eyes are betraying your thoughts, even though I don't know exactly what they are."

"It's ok Troy. You're free to be who you want. I'm not here to hold you back," Gabriella replied in a low voice, trying to sound straight and unaffected.

Troy narrowed his eyes a little. He could tell where Gabriella was trying to lead the conversation and he wasn't going to let her do it. Her defense mechanisms were kicking in. "And I haven't sensed that you were trying to hold me back either. You are just as free and independent as I am. That's not what I'm talking about," Troy continued to explain. "Now be quiet for a moment while I talk and try to clear your head of any ridiculous interpretations of what you think I'm trying to say until I'm finished. Got it?" Troy placed his hand under her chin and gently caressed her with his thumb.

Gabriella nodded. She was going into self preservation mode and she wasn't being fair to Troy. "I'm listening," she said coyly.

"Good. Promise to not interrupt?" Troy mildly begged.

Gabriella motioned for him to continue.

"Where I was going with my comment was that we all have different parts of us that come into play at different times. My mom always used the saying 'wearing different hats.' We rarely just have one mode our personalities operate in. Wouldn't you agree?" Troy looked at Gabriella squarely to make sure she was fully with him.

"Sure. I get that notion," Gabriella said. "What does that have to do with holding your own in a conversation with my father?"

"Glad you're remembering where this started. You are listening." Troy chided.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Fuck, Troy. I'm not five years old. I'm university educated too remember? I do have an attention span. Just get on with it." she said exasperatingly.

"Testy. I love that about you," joked Troy, while staring into her mocha eyes. "Anyhow…with some people, when they wear their different hats, they don't stay true to themselves. They will tell people what they think they want to hear or won't stand up for their beliefs because they don't want to offend. I never do that. Your father enjoys good, intelligent conversation so I can flip to that mode because I'm capable of it, unless it's a topic I'm not well versed in. Like you said, your father would see through any false airs anyway, so why bother?"

Gabriella continued nodding in agreement. "Well, I guess most people are not as secure. That's why they try to put an image out there that is not always accurate."

"What I'm trying to say is, you will always see the real me." Then he conceded, "Unless I'm playing devil's advocate; but that's just a game anyway."

"So what 'mode' are you in with me Troy?" Gabriella cocked an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Gabriella, when I first met you, you were only seeing a limited view of me; the charming asshole side of me," Troy smirked.

Gabriella's eyes widened and her lips parted a bit in surprise. He was so self aware it was incredible.

"Don't get me wrong, that part of me served me well. It got me a lot of great sex," he continued explaining, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Gabriella dropped her jaw and gave him a kick at his audacity. Then she became aware of something. "You're speaking in the past tense," she said, feeling her heart beginning to race a bit.

Troy continued, "Until now, I haven't needed that part of me that would be happy with one person but he's always been there. I was raised in a home with parents who were in a happy, long lasting marriage. It's only because cancer took my dad from my mom too soon that they are no longer together. I've had good role models and I've always wanted what my parents had for myself."

Troy kept Gabriella's hands clasped in his and she could feel her fingers nervously twitching. He pressed his thumbs into her skin so she could have a physical sensation of strength to settle her. He knew there was the strong possibility that he was freaking her out right now so he knew he had to cut to the chase.

Gabriella started to speak, "Troy…" Troy put his fingers up to her lips.

"Don't worry. I'm not about to drop down on one knee here Gabriella," he went on, feeling the need to lead off with that explanation before she bolted out of the restaurant out of sheer terror.

"But what I am trying to say is that I am one of the good guys. I'm telling you all this because I don't want you waking up in a sweaty panic one of these nights and thinking you've made a big mistake getting involved with your playboy bartender and doubting what we've started," he continued, lifting her hands up to his lips and kissing the backs of both of them. "I'm not playing you Gabriella. Don't ever think that."

He looked at her, his ocean blue spheres searching her facial features for any sign of distress and found nothing of the sort. He raised his hands to Gabriella's neck and let his thumbs caress her cheeks while he melted into her chocolate eyes.

"In fact, I'm going take a bit of a risk here and say what's on my heart. What I'm feeling is scary for me, but it's scary in a comforting sort of way, if that makes sense. The fact that I want to spend every waking minute with you tells me that what I'm feeling has to be right."

Gabriella exhaled a huge sigh that had been building inside of her and her features relaxed even more. "Can I say something back now?" Gabriella asked, her eyes looking searchingly into his and praying she wouldn't say something that would ruin this very honest moment. She leaned into one of his palms which were still gently holding her face.

"Do I need to brace myself?" Troy questioned, his crystal blue gaze scanning her beautiful face, looking for a hint.

"Hardly," Gabriella giggled. "Are you worried?"

"No, I'm not actually," he stated.

"Somehow, I knew there was a true romantic guy lurking around inside you, Troy. I can tell when a guy is totally putting on an act because it's nauseating and annoying. Don't get me wrong; it's not that you're transparent. In fact, you're extremely layered and complex. But even though I really don't know you, I can tell that you're genuine. And just in case you're wondering, I'm not picking out wedding dresses quite yet, so don't worry either," she smirked.

Troy drew in a breath to speak but Gabriella shook her head. "I'm not done yet. You had your turn," she chided him.

"Always the boss," Troy teased, rolling his eyes. "You've got the floor, Ms. Montez."

"If I understand you correctly, I think we're on the same page, Troy," Gabriella said, smiling tenderly. "So, even though I'm not jumping years ahead into our future, believe me when I say I wouldn't still be with you if I didn't feel something very special with you. I know that sounds crazy based on how long we've known each other but, for you, I'm choosing to trust my feelings rather than to doubt them. I've made a point of not keeping a single guy past one date for a reason. I didn't want my life to be one string of stupid, failed pairings after the next. So, in that respect I don't have relationship baggage that needs to be sorted. I've been saving my heart for someone like you. I know there are no guarantees here but I'm hoping you're ready for being one half of a couple and see where things go without holding back."

Gabriella could not hide the dampness that was filling her eyes. She appeared more vulnerable to Troy in this moment than she had in their brief time together so far and his heart was racing with happiness and anticipation.

Troy leaned in and first kissed Gabriella's upper lip, followed by her lower one, allowing himself to appreciate the rosebud softness of her skin. The kisses were slow, and soft and sweet. He then gently kissed each corner of her mouth and finished by fully covering her lips, almost as if his mouth was embracing hers protectively.

"I've never been more ready, Gabriella," he said, smiling against her lips, careful not to lose the intimate connection.

Gabriella was the first to pull back and she lightly and seductively ran her tongue along her upper lip. "So, since it's Monday and the bar isn't open tonight, what were your plans for the rest of the day, Mr. Bolton?" she asked wistfully.

Troy pressed his nose to her forehead, "Did you have a suggestion for me?"

"Oh wait, I remember now. What was it? You've got a paper to write." Gabriella stood up and made like she was trying to leave.

"Hold it right there, my lovely. You're not going anywhere." Troy stood and gently grabbed onto her forearm and pulled her close back to his body.

"Well, isn't that what you told my father when you were caught with your mind elsewhere?" Gabriella was having fun. She knew exactly what was on both their minds but she was going to make him work for this.

"You're so full of shit and you know it, Gabriella." Troy smirked, his grip staying soft but assertive enough to keep her in place.

"I don't know what you mean Troy. Care to fill me in?" taunting him with her seductive voice and eyes.

Troy slid his arms around her so that his fingers splayed across her lower back. Her pulled her to his chest and whispered into her neck," Do you really want me to tell you where my mind was? I'd rather show you."

Gabriella cleared her throat lightly and peered at him through her thick lashes. "I think we'd get arrested if you showed me here," she said back into his ear, her warm breath pricking his senses even further.

"Think about where we are. We're standing in one of the most luxurious hotels in Miami. I'm sure there's a vacant room just waiting to have our names signed to it." Troy pleaded.

Gabriella feigned glancing at her watch. "I'm not sure Troy. I've got some errands to run." She smiled playfully. "You're going to need to do a little better than just offer me a room."

"Playing hard to get, huh? Ok then...I was planning on touching and tasting every inch of your perfect, luscious body, leaving no detail unexplored. And then, I intended to take you to pleasurable places, multiple times I might add, that you're never going to want to come back from." Troy's sexy voice was wearing Gabriella's resistance down to zero.

"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" Gabriella barely breathed out.

"You bring it out in me, sweetheart. I'm feeling extra attentive today," he uttered with a growl.

Gabriella blinked.

"But if you'd rather run those errands," his said, looking up at the ceiling and letting his voice trail off.

Gabriella took his face in her hands."Troy Bolton, you get your sexy ass over to that reception desk and book that room right now before I throw you across this table and fuck you senseless," Gabriella gasped with urgency.

Troy reached lower and lightly grasped her behind and smiled at her triumphantly. "We are definitely on the same page."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The elevator to the room seemed to take an eternity. Troy and Gabriella decided that they wouldn't put on a live sex show for the security guards who would be watching the elevator cameras and stayed on opposite walls from each other. Besides, putting that distance between them and knowing what was to come once they reached their room was only helping to exponentially grow the sexual energy that was radiating from their bodies. Their eyes roamed each others faces and bodies and Troy wore a wicked grin that was tearing Gabriella apart. She so badly wanted to do something to drive him crazy right there but the fear of being caught on video tape held her back.

The most welcome sound of the elevator dinging at their floor snapped them from their trances and they both nearly crashed into each other as they practically bolted from the confines of the enclosed space. Troy grabbed her hand and led her in the right direction. Half way down the hallway, they reached the room and Troy slid the card in the reader. The light lit red. "Fuck," he muttered.

"Try it again and don't pull it out so fast," Gabriella begged.

"I will try to ignore the connotations of that statement," Troy smirked as he slid the card in again and this time got the go ahead green light. He flicked the handle and opened the door, allowing Gabriella to go in first.

Once the door clicked shut behind them, all bets were off. Gabriella turned on her heels and faced Troy as she slowly backed away from him, her eyes full of mischief. She lifted her strappy tank to reveal her perfectly toned abdomen.

Troy practically lunged for her, but Gabriella had something else in mind. If she allowed him to touch her right now, she was pretty sure they could set the record for fastest orgasms and she wasn't interested in making that kind of history at the moment.

"Troy, sit down on the sofa," she cooed while motioning in the direction of the sitting area.

"Babe, I hope you weren't hoping for a heart to heart right now because I think the only words I can muster are 'fuck me" and possibly 'fuck me harder' if you're lucky," Troy groaned as he made his way to the plush sofa.

Gabriella had found what she was looking for: the sound system. Her fingers deftly flicked the jewel cases until she hit pay dirt: "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis. A satisfied smirk crossed her face as she slipped the cd into the player and turned the volume to mid-way.

She turned to find Troy sprawled on the sofa and just starting to work the buttons on his shirt. She called out to him, "Troy?"

He looked back to see her shaking her head and wagging her finger at him.

"Please keep your shirt buttoned," she commanded.

Troy frowned. "This usually works a little better if we don't have clothes on, Gabriella."

"Where is your faith, my sexy bartender? Now, listen carefully to your boss and kindly obey my instructions," Gabriella purred above the low din of the jazz melody that was filling the room.

Troy put his palms in the air to signal his defeat. He had every assurance that Gabriella had something incredible up her sleeve. "I surrender," he uttered and gave her a devilish wink.

"Thank-you," she said as she gracefully made her way towards him until she was standing in front of the sofa. "I'm going to need you to promise to cooperate for this next part. Can you do that for me?" she murmured huskily.

"You've chosen my all time favorite jazz CD. How can I refuse any request you make?" he responded.

"Good to know," she smirked and then continued, "You ever had a personal lap dance Troy?"

Troy thought for a moment. "Is this a trick question?" he queried, worried that his honest answer could lead to the cessation of her delectable plan that he was quite certain was going to end in a mind blowing orgasm sort of way.

"Not really," she answered.

"I cannot tell a lie," he said while looking apologetic.

Gabriella leaned forward so that her lips grazed his ear. "This will make you forget the others," she whispered and pulled back from him.

"Fuck me," Troy growled.

"You know the golden rule of lap dances: no touching," she warned, her tongue languishing over her full lower lip and finally flicking over her teeth.

Troy cocked his eyebrow. Eventually he knew she'd be begging for his touch and he intended to make her pay later for setting down this rule.

"My hands are glued to the sofa," he responded teasingly.

"Good," she smiled. Gabriella began to move her body to the lolling hum of the music. She let the droning of Miles Davis' expertise on the trumpet guide her. Her hands lifted into the silky strands of her hair and she allowed the softness stimulate her. She let her hips gently and rhythmically move side to side as she willed every restraint in her body that might hold her back to flow out of her.

Troy was transfixed to the vision before him. He was awed by her confident sex appeal and yet she was so delicately feminine. The two personifications co-existed perfectly in Gabriella. She was definitely no ordinary woman and she had slipped past Troy's guard and gotten to him. He was utterly under her spell.

Gabriella removed one hand from her hair and let it lightly brush over her still covered breasts, causing her nipples to pebble at the sensation. She began to play with the hem of her skirt, lifting it and letting it flutter against the skin of her thigh. The back of her own hand also graced over her flesh and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure.

Troy watched as Gabriella effortlessly moved to the music and smiled as her beautiful ebony locks tumbled helter skelter over her slender shoulders. Both her hands now went to the hem of her tank top and began the work of removing it up over head. Troy was pleasantly surprised to find that she was braless and now her exposed perfect breasts swayed before him, exerting their mastery over his increasingly hardening cock.

Gabriella gently cupped her breasts and she provided space between her fingers for her nipples to peek between them. She let a small moan escape her lips. She caressed herself a little longer until she felt she needed to free herself from the constraints of her skirt and give Troy a greater feast for his visual senses. She reached behind her back and pulled down the small zip that kept her skirt fasted. She let the skirt float to the floor revealing the tiniest black lace booty shorts.

Troy sucked in a breath and his body continued to respond to her. He was getting warmer and his erection stiffened further. Gabriella dropped into a crouch and slowly stood again, her hands moving up the length of her thighs as she rose. She repeated this motion a couple of times, increasing the thrusting of her pelvis as she did. The final time, her fingers grazed over lace covered mound and applied light pressure to the already swollen bundle of nerves of her clitoris. She gasped at how good it felt.

"Christ, Gabriella. You're killing me here," Troy groaned in despair.

"I'm going to kill you just a little more. Trust me; it will be worth it," she breathed in a hushed tone.

Her fingers slipped under the edge of her panties and she pulled it away so she could wiggle them over her hips and down her slender legs. Fully nude before him, Gabriella hummed along to the music as her hands roamed over her body one last time. She never once took her eyes off of Troy. She loved the connection she had with him during this erotic dance and she wasn't about to lose it by allowing her lids flutter to a close, even though it was difficult not to.

She had finally arrived at the moment for what this part of their foreplay was leading to. She took the couple of small steps that separated her from where Troy was seated on the couch and she lifted her legs and placed them on either side of his lap, lowering herself slowly and effortlessly until she was fully resting on him. She knew that her being completely naked on top of him was going to be absolute torture for him but she loved the control she currently owned.

Troy threw his head back into the softness of the back cushion and gritted his teeth in frustration. Gabriella was becoming desperate for some skin on skin contact but she knew she would have to initiate everything since she had laid down the one rule of the game. She slowly started unfastening the remainder of the buttons on Troy's shirt, including the cuffs, and husked it over his shoulders revealing his flawless torso. She could not prevent her hands from drifting over his smooth sculpted chest and chiseled abdominal muscles, which flexed and twitched at her touch.

A breath hissed out of his mouth. "This is extending the boundaries of the usual lap dance; you realize that, don't you?" Troy lamented.

"Are you complaining?" Gabriella said in a sing song tone.

"Fuck, yes, but keep going," Troy whined, his voice barely audible.

Gabriella giggled and continued with the task that lay before her: getting Troy out of his pants while sitting on top of him. Her nimble fingers moved to the button of his trousers and slipped it through the buttonhole. Easy. Next she slid the zipper down. Simple. Now, however, she would need Troy's help.

"Troy, baby, I'm gonna need you to lift your hips for me," Gabriella mewed like a kitten.

"Happy to oblige," Troy responded and gently thrust his hips upwards, effectively grinding his erection into Gabriella's core. Gabriella moaned at the pleasurable sensation and almost became unfocused but thankfully remembered she had to slide his trousers down while she had the opportunity. She swiftly maneuvered them over his hips and past his knees. They fell to the floor and pooled at his ankles. He kicked them away.

Troy was still clad in his black boxer briefs and his erection was totally apparent with the glistening tip of his penis peeking out above the waistband. She languidly ran her tongue over her teeth and began rocking her hips both side to side and back and forth. Her back would arch and bring her breasts dangerously close to touching Troy's chest but Gabriella was careful not to overwhelm his senses.

Troy struggled to remain motionless beneath her. He desperately wanted to push back against her movements to increase the pressure against his cock but he held back. He fisted his hands to keep them in check as well. He was so hard he could barely draw in air. He wanted to fuck her so badly but he knew it was eventually all going to end extremely well so he tried to just enjoy the ride along the way. His breathing was becoming ragged and uneven and every nerve ending in his body was jolting with electrical awareness.

Troy glanced down to where he and Gabriella's bodies were touching and the sight nearly caused him to lose it completely. With her legs parted, her moist peach-colored folds were visible to him as she would rock back away from his pelvis. She shifted her weight slightly so that her next rocking motion sent her core plummeting right against his hardness. "Oh god, Troy," she panted.

"Keep going, baby," Troy coaxed her. He was so unbelievably turned on and wanted to see her cum like this.

Her lips curled up into a beatific smile. Her need for him was driving her and could have caused her to beg him to sink himself into her but she denied the temptation to do so. She eased up on the grinding since she was almost sending herself over the edge and this was really supposed to be a treat for him. She leaned forward and allowed her tresses to tickle over his torso. She leaned further still and let her nipples glance over the skin of his chest and then she sat upright again.

Gabriella lowered her eyelids slightly and her eyes became dark and more lust-filled. Her pelvis started moving once more and she let her head fall from side to side. Her fingers ghosted up the sides of her ribcage and the sensation made her shiver. Again, she cupped her heaving breasts and pushed them together to create perfect cleavage.

"God, I want to touch you," Troy muttered as his cock throbbed and his pulse raced.

"Just a little longer, I promise," Gabriella murmured. She was aching for him to touch her but she knew once that started, it would all come to a crashing close. The heat between them was searing. She scraped her nails over his chest and then replaced her nails with feather light touches of her finger tips for contrast. She reached down and palmed his member through his boxers. It twitched a little against her touch and it filled her with desire. Troy's eyes rolled back, "Jesus, baby. I'm dying here."

The weighted need she felt meant she couldn't hold back from grinding into him and she deepened the pressure of her rocking pelvis. His hardened length was stroking against her folds as she moved against him. "Hmmm" she sighed. Troy could feel her wetness soaking through the fabric and it was making him burn with lust. She started slowly but then she began to rhythmically thrust with desperate determination and she moaned Troy's name as her orgasm began to build within her. She braced her palms against his chest as the tingling began to spread from her core down her legs and through her torso. "Oh my god…oh Troy this is amazing" she barely panted and then it overcame her as she drove herself against him. "Holy fuck…oh god…." She was so out of breath that Troy could hardly hear her but he knew exactly at what stage she was at. His boxers were drenched with her wetness and he reveled in the flushness of her cheeks and her chest.

She looked at him and was suddenly embarrassed for selfishly pleasuring herself when she was supposed to be doing this for him.

"I'm sorry Troy. This was not what I had intended when I started this," she blushed apologetically.

"Babe, you just rocked my world and I didn't even have an orgasm. Please don't apologize," Troy chuckled.

Gabriella leaned down and covered his lips with hers. As dizzying and utterly pleasurable as her kiss was, Troy gave her no response from his lips. "Troy, baby," she mumbled against his mouth. "Why aren't you kissing me back?" she asked, whining slightly.

A sly smirk crept over his lips. "_Payback time," he thought._

"Sweetheart, I am merely abiding by the rule you yourself so clearly stated. If I kiss you back, I think that breaks the code of no touching," Troy teased.

"Troy come on, we're done with that now." Gabriella looked at him pleadingly.

Troy shook his head. "You're going to have to do better than that. I know you've got it in you. Use your powers of persuasion." He was firm in his position; at least for the next 60 seconds he was. After that, he didn't know if he could be held accountable for his actions with a naked and extremely hot and wet Gabriella hovering over him.

"Ok, so we're playing hard to get are we?" she cocked her eyebrows as she reached down to fondle his member which was still rock solid.

"Umm hmm" Troy quietly hummed.

Since Gabriella was still astride him, she used her position to her advantage. She started placing hot open-mouthed kisses starting in the vulnerable hollow of Troy's throat and over each of his collar bones. She breathed warm breath into his ear and whispered, "Troy, I want you to fuck me."

"Not yet sweetheart," Troy mumbled back.

Gabriella pouted. She was aching to feel him inside of her but really he was going to make her work for it. She started kissing him again, this time slightly more urgently; working over his chest and down to his navel area. She slipped off his lap and was now kneeling between his legs. Her tongue dipped into the hollow of his navel and his hips thrust a little in response. She continued with this for a few moments knowing that it was an extremely erogenous zone. As she did, her hands had moved to the waistband of his boxers, which she started prying over his hips until she met with resistance.

"A little help?" she begged. Troy obliged by lifting his hips once again, allowing her to successfully slide his briefs down and off. The last barrier between them removed, Gabriella ran her hands up Troy's thighs until they reached his manhood. She gazed at his largeness and thanked her lucky stars for giving her this perfect specimen. She ran her thumb over his glistening head and lightly stroked him, allowing his own natural lubrication to assist her pleasuring actions. Her small hand wrapped around his shaft and applied the perfect amount of pressure as she pumped up and down several times. Troy uncontrollably bucked his hips in response. She then encased the top half of him with her mouth, the tip of her tongue snaking around the tip, gently playing with it. She could feel him throbbing against the warmth of the inside of her mouth. "Fuck, Gabriella. You're amazing," Troy moaned above her but kept his hands plastered to the sofa.

Her final action was the icing on the cake. She fully engulfed him but kept her lips firmly pressed around him to simulate him being inside of her sex. She moved her head up and down allowing her tongue to stroke the very sensitive underside of his length. Troy knew he was going to be done for in a matter of moments if he didn't change the situation quickly.

He pulled himself away from her and reached down to scoop her up. "You win," Troy declared. He carried her bridal style in the direction of the bedroom; Gabriella's fist pumped a victorious "Yes!"

Upon reaching the bedroom, Troy gently tossed Gabriella onto the bed, not even bothering to pull the covers back. Troy sank onto the mattress and crawled up the length of her body stopping every so often to kiss, suck or nip at her petal-soft flesh; whatever urge overtook him. Eventually, he was face to face with her and she looked back at him with eyes full of want. Her back arched in an effort to have their bodies meet but Troy was still too high above her.

"Troy, please. Come closer." Gabriella begged imploringly.

Troy cocked his head to one side. He wanted to make her as desperate for him as possible.

Troy dipped his hips so that his penis caressed her thigh and Gabriella moaned out in pleasure at his touch. He repeated the action again but moved slightly so that it now grazed against the cleft of her folds. This elicited a cry instead of a moan and Troy knew he was getting to her badly. He did the same thing one last time but with more pressure and this time Gabriella lifted her hips to meet him, almost instantly sending him inside her warmth. The sensation of having no condom on and encountering her wetness practically sucked the life out of Troy, but he regained his composure.

"That was a close one babe," he chuckled. "If I had gone in, I can't promise I would have been able to stop."

"I don't want you to stop, Troy. Please. I want to feel you completely," Gabriella pleaded between husky breaths.

Troy looked at her inquisitively. Did she just say what he thought she said?

"Please go with this, Troy. We're safe," she explained, nodding her head. Of course she was on birth control but even with the knowledge that they both had been with multiple partners, she trusted him with this and she wanted him to trust her. It was a gesture of extreme intimacy.

A low growl emitted from Troy's throat at Gabriella's words. He kissed her then like he never had before. He poured his heart and soul into it. Showing her without having to tell her how incredible this moment was and what a unique woman she was. He rained kisses on her mouth, along her jaw, and down her throat.

In return, what Gabriella was feeling wasn't just about lust and want. She knew Troy was the first man who had truly seen her. It was if he saw straight into the essence of who she really was. She experienced total serenity and this allowed her to make this request of him. She had never had a man inside her without the barrier of protection, but being with Troy made the world click into place and she knew she had to feel the real thing.

Troy returned his lips to hers and Gabriella captured his bottom lip between her teeth and bit down lightly. He groaned. She reached down between their bodies and took hold of his cock, guiding it to her. He had never been inside a woman without a condom on. He felt like he was 17 all over again and this was his first time having sex.

When she felt his tip at her opening, she let go. He dipped it in a little and pulled it out. The sensation was beyond his capacity to explain. He tried again, this time penetrating a little deeper and pulled back again. "God, Gabriella. You're dripping wet. You have no idea how this feels to me," Troy whispered.

"Oh, I think I do," she moaned back. "Take it as slow as you want, Troy."

The warmth and wetness of her walls against his unsheathed penis was the most incredible thing he had felt. This was the ultimate connection. He could not go back after experiencing this. He allowed himself to slip fully inside of her. They both gasped out each other's names simultaneously.

Gabriella had never had a man so thick, who filled her so completely. There was not one part of her that was not being stimulated by his length and she was overwhelmed with desire. Her hips twitched and the muscles between her thighs clenched together. This initiated Troy's deliberately slow thrusts into her. He would swivel his hips slightly with each penetration. They fell into a languid rhythm, neither wanting it to go too fast.

As he kept the steady rocking, their breathing changed, getting hoarser, raspier. Gabriella cried out a little, starting to feel the early sensations of her impending orgasm. "Ohh god Troy, harder."

Her words pierced his soul and he now became fierce and hungry. He plunged heedlessly into her, driving them both closer to the edge they both wanted to prolong but craved so badly.

Troy's brow and back were glistening with moisture. Gabriella's graceful hands scraped over his flesh and grasped his behind so that she could force him into her deeper while she raised her hips so that her clitoris was pressed up against his groin as closely as possible. "Oh god, I'm almost coming baby," he breathed heavily.

"With me Troy, with me," she chanted, not caring how utterly desperate she sounded. Troy thrust into her again and again. His entire being seemed to slide deeper into hers until she could not differentiate where her body stopped and his began.

The savage want between them was changing everything they had ever known about themselves and what they were capable of. Something earth shattering was happening. It was if their very souls were leaping from their bodies and shooting in the other's along with their orgasms. He could tell she was right there with him from the sounds she was making.

Troy cried out as his essence poured out into her and the wetness of her climax enveloped him. Their mutual orgasms ripped through them and flooded their bodies. Together they melted. Nothing else existed. The room around them was gone, disappearing in the moment of blissful passion. One last time he shoved himself deep as he could go into her warmth, bathing himself in her. Knowing that he had emptied himself inside of her gave Gabriella an incredible feeling of oneness with him. She would have it no other way from this day forward.

They clung to each other for a moment, breathless as wave after wave of energy rippled through them. Gasping, Troy rolled over, sinking onto his back and taking Gabriella with him. He held her close as her chest heaved and quivered.

She slipped her arms around his neck, squeezing him as tears flowed warm and free down her cheeks. Her emotions terrified her but she could not deny them. She had given up her heart and handed it over to Troy for safe keeping.

In turn, Troy knew one thing for certain. Gabriella was the one. He loved her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's note: Thanks so much to JB who helped me with the inspiration for this next chapter. I was a little unsure how to transition the feelings they realize they had in the last chapter to getting them out in the open. There will be a little drama in the coming chapters, but nothing earth shattering as far as Troy and Gabriella are concerned. It will be important for them to know how they feel about each other so they can face what's coming their way together. **

**Thank-you for your wonderful reviews. I am very encouraged by them. Also thanks to my "pre-readers" JB, rachrep, rucrazy and fantasylover128 for letting me know I'm on track.**

Chapter 20

The week had gone by in a flurry. Some nights Troy and Gabriella spent together after work, and others they went home separately.

It was harder for Troy to keep up with his studies and assignments if he and Gabriella spent every night together after work. Waking up to her in the mornings was the most wonderful thing he could have imagined but it also made it terribly difficult to tear himself away from her and dive into his International Commercial Law textbook wholeheartedly.

Likewise, Gabriella was trying to relieve Troy of some of his bookkeeping responsibilities so that he could relax more when they were together. Between that and managing the staff, she also had her hands full outside the bar's operating hours.

Neither one, however, had been able to forget the overwhelming feelings that had swept over them following the most intimate lovemaking they had yet experienced as a couple, or ever, for that matter. Every time either of them thought of that moment, it inwardly brought waves of pleasurable emotions, ranging from anticipation and joy to contentment and peace. Outwardly, their faces would become flush, their eyes would soften and have that dreamlike quality and huge smiles would wash over their lips. And yet, there had not been an appropriate time to revisit those mutually felt emotions in a satisfying way. After work they were too exhausted, apart from participating in the instant gratification of sex, to focus their minds on dealing with those huge emotions.

Although their relationship was so young, they respected each other enough to know that these feelings could not be kept secret, despite the trepidation they felt with expressing them. While neither could be entirely confident that once the feeling was communicated, it would be reciprocated, welcomed or even met with a "give me some time" attitude, both realized that the other partner deserved the honest truth, at whatever cost. They knew it wouldn't be fair to themselves carry the burden of love privately and live in fear of it being one-sided. Troy had told Gabriella that he would not play her and he had meant what he said. He would not keep this vital piece of information from her.

Gabriella always knew that she had the ability to fall in love but she never would have thought it would have come so quickly and that she would be so sure about it. For Troy, this had hit him somewhat like a steamroller as well. He had always been in control, and while he had never been jilted and therefore jaded by any woman, he certainly had not been prepared for someone to knock his heart for a loop like Gabriella had done.

They were both ready to take the risk, but the timing would have to be right. It wasn't something you could just mention while drifting off to sleep or casually while slicing lemon wedges at the bar counter.

On Thursday of that week, an idea came to Troy and he began to formulate a plan. Gabriella was a like a slippery seal. He knew she definitely had her romantic side but it was coupled with that fiery passionate edge that loved risk and spontaneity. She would see right through a moonlight walk and flowers. She needed substance and something that she could believe in, not just gestures of romance. She was anything but a starry-eyed innocent ready to believe any man who murmured the words, "I love you." He had to admit, he liked the challenge but he knew that if he was going to say it, it was for all the marbles - a forever, "for long as we both shall live" kind of love.

When he arrived at work, he slipped a note onto her desk. Rather than freaking her out with something too formal, he just jotted it on a piece of lined school paper: "Please keep Monday open for me. XO, Troy."

Gabriella came in about 30 minutes later, saw the note, and she smiled. Her fingers traced over his messy handwriting. She thought for a moment on how she would respond and grinned contentedly when it came to her. She scrawled one word on the bottom of his note and went to look for him. He wasn't at the bar, but she left her reply for him to find. Her answer was simple: "Sure."

Troy found it and rolled his eyes; it was just like her to be coy like that. For the remainder of the week, Gabriella would act completely non-plussed about the fact that Troy clearly had something up his sleeve. He wasn't giving anything away, of course, but the fact that he would ask her in advance to save the day meant that he was scheming. Finally, when they were finishing their closing up duties on Sunday night, Troy approached Gabriella from behind and touched his nose against her neck, softly dragging it up and down the graceful column and smelling the faint scent of her perfume mixed with her natural fragrance. Gabriella closed her eyes and purred a soft moan.

He spoke softly against her skin, "You know, I could hardly concentrate on my martini orders tonight; you look so fucking good." He nudged the strap of her dress off her shoulder so he could run his tongue from the sweet tasting skin of her neck to the taut flesh of her shoulder without impediment.

Gabriella could feel warmth rushing to her core. God, he had her so completely under his powers in mere moments of his presence. She melted back against his body. His other hand wrapped around her slim figure and ran down the length of her torso and thigh until it reached the hem of her dress. He flattened his palm and fingers against her leg and as he moved upward, he brought the fabric with him, scrunching it as his hand moved to her inner thigh. Gabriella smiled inwardly knowing what Troy was about to encounter and she knew it would kill him.

When he reached her apex, he gulped. No underwear. "Jesus, Gabriella. You are just full of surprises aren't you?" he breathed into the nape of her neck.

Before he could continue his explorations, Gabriella pulled herself together and quickly spun around and faced him, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Troy groaned in disappointment as her dress fell back to place just above her knees.

"Not so fast, Mr. Horny boy," she stated flatly, her finger poking into his chest. Troy rolled his eyes.

"I could make the argument that you are just as horny as I am," Troy responded defensively.

"You know, I have kept up my end about keeping tomorrow open, but you have not given me one hint as to what you've got planned," Gabriella retorted, changing the subject entirely.

"Who says I've got anything planned?" Troy teased, tracing his finger up and down the length of her arms. He knew she had been trying to hide her curiosity ever since he had given her the note. "Isn't it enough that I want to spend some time with you?"

Gabriella raised her eyebrows and smiled at him fully realizing he was hiding his intentions from her. "Whatever you say, Troy." she conceded. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of prodding for information but her answer told him that she was on to him. He knew it but he didn't care. What he had planned for the day was just filler to get him to the main event.

"OK, OK. You are right in assuming I've got a couple of fun things planned. I'll give you that much. Just pack a swimsuit and wear comfy clothes." Troy explained, giving her shoulders a squeeze.

"Finally, he cracks," Gabriella sighed coupled with a light punch in the gut. "Was that so hard to tell me?"

Troy raised his hands for mercy. "In my defence, you never asked."

"And if I had asked earlier?" she queried.

Troy gave her a sly wink and a gentle kiss on the nose. "Just be ready at 11 am tomorrow morning, ok?"

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Troy had some early morning shopping to do before he swung by to get Gabriella. He would have arranged to get her earlier so they could grab breakfast together but he wanted to get a few things fresh from the market and get them back to his apartment before their day began.

Gabriella's building had an area in front where cars could pull in briefly. He rang up to her apartment. "Hey babe, I'm downstairs. Do you want me to come up?"

"That's ok, Troy. You can't leave your car in front so you'd have to valet it if you came up. I'll be right down. See you in two shakes," her perky voice rang in his ears and it brought a huge smile to his face.

What a turn they had taken. Ever since she first entered the Oasis, he always looked forward to seeing her, but the reasons had all changed from then until now. Before, it was a game of wits and lust. It was different now. Troy could never have predicted it happening like this but looking at it retrospectively, he couldn't imagine it happening any other way.

"Someone's having a good daydream," Gabriella's warm voiced filtered into Troy's ears and brought him back to earth.

Troy looked over to see Gabriella climbing into the passenger's seat and tossing a small tote into the back. Troy was seeing a whole new Gabriella and he was pretty sure this was his favorite version yet. Her hair was done in two loose braids and she had on a pair of extra short faded destroyed denim shorts, a white fitted tank and large light grey wrap loosely draped around her upper body.

"Good morning gorgeous," he said, his eyes trailing over her exquisite flesh. "Only you could manage to make comfy casual look so sexy." He leaned over and lightly brushed his lips over hers.

Gabriella blushed slightly and then took in what Troy was wearing: low slung grey cargo shorts, a plain white t-shirt and white flip flops. "You're looking pretty delicious yourself," she noted. Admittedly, the best and finishing touch was his aviator sunglasses. Just how he looked in those alone was enough to have Gabriella wishing they were spending the day in bed. She started to fantasize about having him wear those the next time they made love.

"Well, now. Since we both approve of each other's appearances, I guess we can get rolling," Troy chuckled and turned the key in the ignition. His iPod was connected to his stereo system and Gabriella picked it up and began scrolling through his playlists. She settled on Moby. Troy nodded his head in approval and they were on their way.

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They arrived back at Troy's apartment at around 5 o'clock. Gabriella was still blabbering about what they had done that day as Troy was turning the key in the lock. All week long, Gabriella had wracked her brain trying to figure out what Troy might have planned for them. Many scenarios had crossed her mind: a bicycle ride through Coral Gables, a picnic, ocean kayaking...the list went on. But never once had swimming with dolphins entered her thoughts.

"Troy, seriously. I know I keep saying it but that was the best thing I've done since moving to Miami," gushed Gabriella who was still beaming.

Troy was extremely pleased with himself that the idea had come to him. He had called on an old friend who was a marine biologist and now worked as a trainer at the park. Normally the park was closed on Monday but he opened it for them so they could have their own private session with the dolphins.

The look of wonderment on Gabriella's face while they were in the water with the playful creatures and hearing her shrieks of laughter melted his heart even more towards her. He knew he was taking a risky step with what he planned to say to her this evening, but after today, he was sure it was the right thing to do. He owed it to himself.

They entered the room and Troy put their bags down and wrapped his arms around Gabriella's form. "Babe, would you mind if I grabbed a shower first?" he asked.

"You want company?" Gabriella smirked, running her fingers along the waistband of his shorts.

Troy groaned in frustration knowing he would have to say no. "Tempting yes, but that would severely compromise what I have planned for the rest of the evening," he mildly complained. "I'll be out as quick as I can. I promise." He slipped away from her and headed for the bathroom after kissing her on the forehead.

Gabriella contemplated watching TV but she felt kind of sticky and smelly after wearing a wetsuit and being in the salt water all afternoon and didn't feel like sitting on his upholstered furniture. She wandered out onto his small patio and spotted a hose he used for watering his potted flowers. She decided to make herself useful and help Troy with a task she didn't want him to have to bother with later. She went back inside and found the wetsuits that Troy had brought along for their dolphin swim so that she could rinse them out. She thought back to earlier in the afternoon and how she had been surprised that he had bought a wetsuit for her. Her insides warmed as he recounted telling her about going to the dive shop earlier in the week and how he had snuck into her walk-in closet while she was sleeping to find out her size. She chided him about sneaking around her penthouse and how he should know that a woman's size is her private business. Troy had rolled his eyes at that comment and said that a woman with a body of perfection like hers hardly needed to worry about him knowing her size. Her heart had skipped a little at his comment. _How was he able to do that to her with such a simple compliment? _She conceded they were now "even" since she was more than knowledgeable about Troy's "size" as her eyes had teasingly moved to his groin, bringing a blush to Troy's face.

_Flashback_

_"I don't know if I've seen you blush before, Troy," Gabriella giggled. "I like it," she added._

_"Well, you've been having all kinds of bad influence on me Ms. Montez," Troy replied. "I'm going to have to make you pay for your sins later," speaking softly into her ear. _

_Gabriella felt herself go warm and she curved against him. _

_"Now who's blushing?" Troy smirked. _

_Not to be outdone, Gabriella replied in a sexy whisper, "You can punish me all you like Troy. I'm ready for it." _

_Troy moaned, "Great. You've given me a hard on in a wetsuit. Do you know how uncomfortable that is?" _

_End Flashback_

Gabriella giggled as she stood at on the balcony hosing down the wetsuits and hanging them over the plastic chairs to dry.

"Aren't you just the little helpful bee," Troy said, stepping out behind her on the patio and placing his hands over her perfectly curved hips and kissing her on her smooth rounded shoulder. "But you taste like salt water, my little mermaid. Come inside and we'll fix that."

He led her to the bathroom and she found that he had drawn her a bubble bath complete with a few votive candles dotting the room. "I know it's not a luxury soaker tub..." Troy began.

Gabriella put her hand over his mouth. "It's perfect, Troy."

"Don't move," he said huskily. "I'm doing everything from here on."

"I wouldn't dare disobey," she responded, her voice barely audible.

He proceeded to undress her slowly, attentively kissing her and telling her how each part of her that he uncovered was so breathtakingly beautiful and perfect. Finally, he lifted her into the bath and held her hand as she slowly sunk down into the welcoming warmth and sweet fragrance of the water.

Gabriella closed her eyes and let her body go limp. Troy left but returned moments later with a glass of chilled white wine. "Here you go babe," he said quietly, placing it on the edge of the tub.

Gabriella opened her eyes and looked up at him, dressed in loose denim jeans that sat low on his hips and hair still damp from his shower. _"I could never get tired of looking at that," she thought. _

"Glad to hear it," Troy laughed. Gabriella clamped her hand over her mouth, not realizing she had said it out loud. She slithered under the water in embarrassment.

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Gabriella finally dragged herself from her watery heaven. She had drifted off for awhile but the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen area had perked her senses awake. Her stomach growled a little reminding her it had been several hours since she had eaten. She wrapped the fluffy towel around her and blew out the candles.

She lightly padded out to where Troy was and saw him busily slaving away in the kitchen but looking surprisingly at ease. "It smells amazing. I thought you didn't cook," she called out over the music he had playing.

Troy turned slightly and looked over his shoulder at her. "A guy has to have a few weapons in his arsenal," he explained, giving her an adorable wink. "By the way, there's a robe for you hanging over the chair," gesturing his head in the right direction.

Gabriella slipped it on took note of some of the other details. The table was set and there was a small simple bouquet of orchids in the centre.

"Help yourself to some bread if you like. Dinner will be ready soon but I don't want that wine giving you a headache on an empty stomach," Troy said.

"I think I will," Gabriella agreed, cutting herself a slice off the baguette and wandering out to the patio again. As she looked out and mindlessly took in the sights below her, her thoughts were really focused on all the effort that Troy had put into making this such a wonderful day. Part of her was pondering whether she deserved such indulgences from an amazing man like Troy and the other part slapped her across the face asking herself, _"Why wouldn't you deserve it?"_ Her insides were brimming with happiness. Was she really feeling what she thought she was feeling or was the combination of everything that had happened between them just fucking with her rational mind?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Troy's warm hands that lifted her damp hair from her neck and his soft lips that began the caressing the delicate skin at the nape. "Everything's ready," he beckoned.

"Mmmm," Gabriella hummed. "Keep it up Troy and I'm going to have to force you to skip dinner." Then her tummy rumbled again. She turned toward him and kissed him soundly on the lips and smiled. "But, on second thought, I'm starving." She grabbed his hand and dragged him inside as Troy laughed out loud.

"Glad to know I'm not tempting enough to suppress your appetite a bit longer," Troy jokingly grumbled.

"Seriously Troy. My stomach would never forgive me. Besides, I'm curious to know if you're just as good at seducing with food as you are with your lips and your body," Gabriella chirped, rubbing her belly.

"We'll just have to see about..." Troy began until Gabriella cut him off with her squeals.

"Oh my god. You made pad thai?" How did you know that is my favorite?" Gabriella gasped. "Really, Troy. How did you know?"

"You talk in your sleep," Troy razzed her.

"I so do not talk about food in my sleep," she berated him. "Do I?"

Troy snickered back, "I reserve my right to not answer that question."

He pulled out her chair for her to sit down and she gracefully took her seat. "I feel a little funny dressed like this, Troy. I wish you would have given me a bit of a hint so I could have packed something to wear for dinner."

"No way. Then you would have been fussing with your hair and make-up. I get to see the glamorous you every night of the week at the bar. Tonight is just about taking it easy and being together with no distractions," Troy said reassuringly. "Besides your nipples look absolutely ravishing right now through that silk robe."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "God. Horny Troy is never too far away, is he?" she reproached him.

"You love it," he said sliding her chair in. "Admit it," he coaxed.

"I reserve my right to not answer that question," she said shaking her head, but inside her head, she conceded he was right.

Dinner went off beautifully as they took their time and ate until they were satiated. Their conversation covered a range of topics. They laughed until their sides hurt and they even both shared a couple of emotional memories from their pasts.

A familiar tune came drifting through Troy's iPod. He extended his hand to Gabriella. She placed hers in his and he pulled her up and moved her away from the table. "Dance with me," he said softly.

Troy nuzzled his nose down into Gabriella's neck as her arms looped around his. His strong muscular arms gently enveloped her body and pulled her close.

"Troy, what can I say except this day has been unforgettable," Gabriella sighed into his body.

"I agree," he said as they swayed together to the song that was playing: "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys.

"Thank-you for everything," Gabriella murmured.

_God only knows what I'd be without you._

_If you should ever leave me_

_Though life would still go on believe me_

_The world could show nothing to me_

_So what good would living do me_

_God only knows what I'd be without you_

Troy could feel his heart pounding and eyes getting moist as the words of the song crashed into him. _"It's now or never, lover boy," he thought. _ He had to do it before the night went any further. He did not want it to be said after the inevitable sex they were going to have or in even in the middle of making out with her. She had to know that he was talking with his brain and heart and not his dick. She needed to see this side of him right now. If she wasn't ready to hear it, a couple of more hours wouldn't really matter.

Troy pulled back from her and Gabriella looked up at him. She became slightly worried when she saw the tears just brimming in his eyes. "Troy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing at all baby," he assured her. "There's just something I need to tell you and I don't think its fair to keep it from you." He brushed a few stray locks of hair behind her ears and cupped her jaw with his hands, which were shaking slightly.

"Troy?" Gabriella questioned her voice quivering and her knees getting weak as she became more afraid. She feared the worst but didn't know how that could be possible. _"What could possibly be wrong after a day like today? What have I missed?"_

Troy stroked her cheek as a single tear fell. "Gabriella, I love you."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Troy stood in the same position and waited for a reaction, anything to give him a clue to what Gabriella was thinking. Her eyes had widened a little at his words but her face wasn't giving him much more of an idea. It was killing him.

Gabriella's heart was pounding a million beats per minute. "_Say it back, say it back," _was chanting inside her brain and yet she didn't just want to fall back on the cliché of saying "I love you too." Her thoughts were spiralling out of control with joy and excitement. Everything that she had been mulling over during the past week about how she felt for Troy began spilling out.

Before she could stop herself, Gabriella launched into a mirthful sermon. "You know, when I first met you, I don't think I could have ever imagined those words coming out of your mouth. Now, knowing you like I do, even though its been a short time, I am sure that my original estimation of you could not have been more wrong."

It was one of those moments when you are thinking something privately and then you all of a sudden start verbalizing your thoughts out loud and the other person is brought in only half way through instead of at the beginning. Gabriella had forgotten that Troy had not been party to what had been rambling through her brain and what made perfect sense to her.

"I mean, everything about how you and I started out screams against how a girl imagines that she will be romanced off her feet. You were so full of yourself, shameless really," she exclaimed, shaking her head. "But, it's not like I was some princess in a tower waiting to be rescued either, so who am I kidding?"

A sly grin overtook Troy's face. He could see exactly what was going on and while he was somewhat enjoying Gabriella's tumultuous diatribe, he wanted her to get to the point.

Gabriella carried on blabbering dreamingly, "I mean, look at you. How could you not catch any warm blooded woman's attention? But you're so much more than that. It's like I have a window into you, Troy. I know that what you were getting from those women is not what you were really looking for. Just like the meaningless sex I was having was not going to sustain me forever. For you and I, it was just a way of functioning."

Troy rolled his eyes and decided he couldn't take it anymore. In her efforts to say something meaningful, she was getting more and more flustered. She was running in circles and although he was pretty sure she would get there eventually, he badly needed her to reach the finish line. He lovingly placed his hands on her waist and tried to catch her eyes, which were darting all over the place with excitement.

He cut in calmly, "Gabriella."

Suddenly, her wild eyes riveted on his. "Yes?" she responded rather breathlessly.

He leaned in and kissed her soundly on the lips.

"What was that for?" she breathed, a little taken aback.

"Are you trying to tell me that you love me back?" he asked in a way that a father would ask their child to blurt out a desperately held secret. His eyebrows were raised curiously.

"What?" she responded incredulously. "Oh my god! I haven't said it, have I? Oh, you poor thing standing there listening to me rant like a raving idiot." She took a deep breath. Her entire face softened and her eyes uncontrollably welled up with tears. The next words she spoke were just above a whisper now, "Yes, Troy. Yes, I totally and completely, head over heels love you!"

Troy let out a huge breath of air and a smile that spoke a thousand words washed over his entire face. "Jesus, girl. You did have me a little nervous there." And with that, he grabbed her tightly and assaulted her with the most blistering passionate kiss Gabriella had ever experienced. "You have no idea how happy I am right now," he mumbled against her mouth, not wishing to break the contact of his lips on hers.

"Actually, I do know. I totally do," she spoke back.

He pulled back a little from her, his chest heaving a little. "What happens next?" he said.

"Next? I don't know about tomorrow or the next day, but right now I want you in the worst way, Troy. I want you to make love to me like never before," Gabriella declared in the sexiest tone that Troy had ever heard from her.

The heat between them was almost excruciating. Troy reached down the grasped the silken tie that was holding Gabriella's robe around her body. He tugged at it and it easily loosened the bow that had been made. Once undone, the entire robe slipped away from her shoulders and fell off her body in one fluid motion.

Something came over Troy that could only be described as primal, like he was going to claim her. One arm slipped behind her back and the other under her butt and he lifted her. Her legs clasped around him and her nude body was pressed tightly against him. Every inch of her craved contact with him. Meanwhile, their lips were slammed up against each others and moved definitively with torrid desire.

Troy had quickly made his way to the closest wall and pushed Gabriella back up into it, using the solid surface to brace her there. Her hands flew to the edge of his grey t-shirt and lifted it up over his head, tossing it carelessly away. "Your jeans, Troy. Get your fucking jeans off," she moaned.

One of his hands reached down and skilfully fingered the button and zipper of his jeans. He nudged them a little over his hips and they slipped down his legs. He stepped out of them before they could become a hazard. He hadn't bothered putting boxers on so that step was eliminated.

Now fully exposed to Gabriella, his naked hardness was pressed up against her and she nearly yelped at the contact. She rocked her pelvis against him in desperation to feel his desire more fully against her.

Her actions resulted in a husky growl to escape Troy's mouth. "Jesus, holy fuck baby," he choked. His hardened shaft was grazing up against the cleft between her legs. He pressed a little harder against where he knew she would get the most sensation and ground his hips in an upward motion to stimulate her.

Gabriella gasped at the pleasure. It was just unfair how quickly he was able to bring her to the point of being desperate to have him inside of her. He brought the one free hand up and cradled her breast and then gently fondled her hardened nipple between his index finger and thumb, again eliciting a moan of ecstasy from Gabriella swollen lips. She arched against him again. Troy continued the movement of his cock against Gabriella's folds and her wetness allowed him to slide smoothly up and down. He was getting as much out of this as she was but he didn't want it to end this way.

"It's insane how badly I want to fuck you, baby," he hissed against her ear.

Gabriella was writhing against him, almost reaching her peak with his movements. "God Troy, I'm almost cumming," she panted. "Please, I want you inside me."

With a slight change in position, the tip of Troy's penis was at her entrance and he thrust up hard so that he was fully seated in her. His eyes rolled back and he grunted uncontrollably at the depth he reached inside of her and how incredible it felt. He pulled out almost entirely and pushed back into her with similar force. She let out a cry.

"How's that baby?" he managed to choke out.

Gabriella moaned at how his thickness filled her. "Uh, it's good...oh...it's so fucking good Troy."

He kept thrusting up and deep, his thigh and hamstring muscles burning from exertion. "You like it hard baby?" he panted, tiny beads of sweat collecting on his forehead. Gabriella's perfect pert breasts were bouncing in front of him as he drove up into her and he was nearing his peak.

"Yes...Fuck me hard, Troy. Oh...godddd," she screamed.

Every muscles and nerve fibre in Troy's legs was searing as he madly pumped into Gabriella, every single stroke evoking a vocal response from both of them. His body was a machine that was propelling him towards one purpose. The tingles of pleasure were just beginning to descend upon him. To make sure that Gabriella would complete with him he reached down and pressed his thumb against her clit, rubbing in circles. "Come on baby," he begged. "I'm almost there, just let it go," his words echoed hotly against her ear.

Hearing the change in her mewling cries and the unevenness of her breaths, he knew she was climaxing and it allowed him to let go and plummet to the edge. He slowed his thrusting slightly and swivelled his hips to get the full benefit of her tensing walls that were milking his shaft to rapturous orgasm. Everything slowed and they drank in the rippling waves of perfect rapture, as if they could somehow will it to last longer than humanly was possible.

Gabriella felt Troy's release inside of her and his hot breath against the cradle of her shoulder. She exhaled slowly and loosened the grip of her legs around his waist as a signal that he could let her down. He pulled out of her and clasped her behind with his free hand to steady her. Her feet reached the floor and his head bent to touch his sweat glistened brow to her.

"That was so fucking hot," he whispered.

"I know," she agreed. "I've been wanting you to do that."

Troy snorted, "You're going to have to fill me in on everything else you want me to do, sweetheart."

Gabriella shook her head and ran her hands over his smooth hardened chest. "You don't need me to tell you. You're doing perfectly fine on your own," she replied, looking sultry through her naturally thick lashes. "Besides, I'd rather enjoy each moment as it happens."

Troy smiled and leaned down to pick up Gabriella's robe and his jeans. He held it out to her and she slipped it on. She looked at him with a pout as his beautiful lower body disappeared behind the fabric of his jeans. "You're insatiable. You know that, don't you?" Troy laughed.

"Can you blame me? My god, have you seen yourself?" she muttered as he took her by the hand and led her to the couch.

"Come here, you. We need to have a talk," his husky voice requested.

He sat down and patted his lap for her to join him. She climbed on his lap, straddling him face to face. She smirked, remembering this position from one week ago.

"Be good, Gabriella," Troy warned with a smile, wagging his finger.

"Not possible," she teased. "I think I'll change positions just to be safe," she mused aloud.

She now sat with her legs draped over his and her back leaned against the arm rest. She looked at him and was filled with warmth and contentment. Being here with him was everything she needed.

She knew what they needed to talk about, so she decided to breech the topic. "Troy," she began and then dove right in with her next words. "Can you tell me how you knew you loved me?"

Troy let out a huge breath of air, thankful that Gabriella decided to get the ball rolling. "I don't think I can give you a moment where it started. I think I was already in love with you before I realized it consciously. Does that make any sense?"

"Yes, it does. Go on," she pleaded, feeling rather stirred with excitement. It was a parallel moment for her. At the end of "Pride and Prejudice," Mr Darcy had said something extremely similar to Elizabeth when he explained how he knew that he loved her and the duality of the situation caused Gabriella's heart to flutter, considering their past conversation about her treasured book.

"I can't really explain it any better than just that it was a feeling of totality or wholeness. God, that sounds really sappy doesn't it? I feel like I'm on the verge of quoting Jerry Maguire here," Troy said apologetically.

"That's ok Troy. I'm not above a little platitude now and then," Gabriella assured him, taking hold of both his hands and squeezing them tightly.

Troy thought carefully before continuing. "Let me see if I can word it a little better. I always rested in the confidence that my instincts would tell me when it was right. My parents had a beautiful marriage and I watched them carefully as I grew up. I knew what love should look like but I just had to wait to know what that kind of love would feel like."

He paused and made sure their eyes were locked together before he spoke again.

"There is no doubt in my mind that what love feels like is embodied in the incredible woman who I cannot take my eyes off right now," Troy finished, satisfied with his explanation.

Gabriella's entire being was rapt with what Troy was telling her. There was no romantic fairy tale fluff in the words he was speaking. It was simple and pure. He was laying himself completely bare before her. He was really so much more than she had already given him credit for.

Gabriella could not contain the tears from gracefully cascading down her cheeks. "Just when I thought you couldn't be anymore utopian, you go and say something like that and I have to go completely adjusting my assessment of how amazing you are."

Troy chuckled, "Well, how about if you stop assessing me and just tell me what you're feeling."

Gabriella smiled. She was glad Troy could make a joke of her ramblings but she needed to get serious with him. "Ok. Where to begin? I guess I've always compartmentalized my life. Since I've met you, the walls between the segments of my life are evaporating and I'm still figuring out how everything fits together."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, sweetie." Troy looked at her quizzically.

"Well, for a start, you and I have obviously had very different upbringings. And I'm not referring to the fact that I grew up with wealth, in case you are wondering," Gabriella said, with a mildly defensive tone.

"Gabriella, carry on. I'm not judging you, babe. I hope we're beyond any of that bullshit aren't we?" Troy stroked her arm to calm her.

"I'm sorry, Troy. I'm just self conscious of it sometimes," she smiled weakly. "I shouldn't jump to conclusions like that."

Troy waved his hand at her. "You were saying?" Troy urged her, not wanting her to get off track. "Don't worry, there's not a wrong way to do this Gabriella. Just follow your heart. I'm listening."

"Right. So, unlike what it sounds like you grew up with, my parents had a very unconventional marriage. I'm sure they were very devoted to each other but I didn't really have the opportunity to observe what love looks like in a traditional union. My father was very wrapped up in his business and was rarely home. Both my parents supported me in their own way, but my mom and I were the ones who were close. We had many discussions about my future and her dreams for me. I think she loved my father on a certain level, but it wasn't the kind of love she wanted for me. There was always a bit of melancholy surrounding her. I couldn't put my finger on it. She encouraged me to go after what I wanted, to be strong and to hold onto my heart carefully until I found the love I could trust without reservation. She died in some kind of accident when I was only 13. I was shipped off to boarding school almost immediately after. I think it was easier for my father that way." Gabriella stopped when she saw something in Troy's face.

"Wait. You said she died in 'some kind of accident.' Don't you know what happened?" Troy asked, obviously troubled by her story.

"Troy I know it sounds crazy. But that's how my life was. I always felt like I was living on the periphery of my existence. I enjoyed a privileged life but details were usually kept shrouded. I came to accept that as normal because I had no other choice. I learned to be self sufficient very early on after she died."

"No doubt," Troy said wistfully. He couldn't believe that the woman who sat before him was the strong spirited, graceful and independent person that she was. But it did explain the woman who was desperate to please her father. Being sent away at 13 without a solid relationship foundation to begin with didn't leave much to build upon. At some level, she must have felt rejected and was trying to find a way back into his life.

"My father encouraged me to pursue whatever I wanted when I hit university. Once I discovered romantic literature, something about it switched on that part of me that shut down after my mother died. It empowered me and it taught me to believe that love would exist for me. But I still followed my mother's advice and protected my heart. I feared it would become bruised and tarnished if I fell into strings meaningless short term relationships. Maybe it was idealistic and naive of me, but I wanted to be able to offer my heart in as perfect a state as I could. I guarded it until I knew it was someone who would treat it as dearly as I had."

Gabriella drew a deep breath and weighed her words carefully. She knew that by speaking them aloud, she was committing herself to Troy. She hoped and believed this is what he wanted. If it wasn't then her instincts had badly betrayed her.

"As naive as it might have been, I think my strategy worked. I am wholly certain that someone is you. I love you, Troy." She spoke softly but with self assuredness that spoke to Troy of her confidence in him. There was no question in her voice.

Troy took hold of her and encased her petite but strong figure lovingly in his arms. Every curve of her fit into his body like a puzzle piece. "I'm glad you are certain, baby because in my mind, nothing could be more right in the world than what I am feeling at this exact moment." He nuzzled his nose into her neck and her scent intoxicated him. He began littering her satiny soft skin with tender kisses.

Gabriella melted and relaxed into Troy's embrace.

"Mmm...Troy...take me to the bedroom and make love to me again, please," Gabriella murmured in soft gasps. Her head tilted back with the shivers he was inducing with his magical lips. "And I want you to take it as slowly as you possibly can so I can savour every detail."

Her request could not have been more perfectly timed. Troy remembered how he had arranged the bedroom and he knew how touched Gabriella would be when she saw it. Fate was drawing the perfect card for them. He picked her up bridal style and as she looped her arms around his neck, she let her mocha brown eyes become lost in his crystal blue ones.

Once arriving at the bedroom door, Troy gave it a slight nudge with his foot. The door slowly swung open to reveal the bed completely covered with pink and red rose petals. Gabriella suppressed a shriek at the sight. "Are you for real?" she whispered, peering at him incredulously.

"I guess I got it right, huh?" Troy quipped as he gently laid her down on top of the velvety blanket.

Gabriella nodded her head.

He undid the button and zipper of his jeans once more and slowly slipped them off while Gabriella drank in every move he made. She dared not blink for fear that it was all a dream. Troy climbed on the bed and caged her entire body with his own, hovering above her.

"So, we're taking this slow, right?" Troy mumbled, his body quivering with anticipation of touching her.

"If time could be stopped, that's how slow I want it to be," she simply replied.

They spent the next two hours blissfully exploring, caressing and pleasuring every part of each other, expressing their love with actions to reflect what they had earlier shared with words exchanged. After that, they fell into restful sleeps.

The very next day, everything in Gabriella's life, apart from what she now had with Troy, came crashing down with absolutely no warning.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's note: Some of you may not like this chapter because you've gotten absolutely no warning for it whatsoever. It was always my plan to have the story blow up in this direction and to do it suddenly like this. What has changed is that I was going to drag it out afterwards for longer.**

**Unfortunately, I've taken on a lot of volunteer work in my "real" life, and I can't keep this story rambling on like I planned. The burden of updating is too much and I definitely do not want to go on hiatus. Consider this fair warning that there will probably only be 1 more chapter after this one. **

**I apologize if this all seems abrupt. Have no fear, however. Everything is cool in the land of Troy and Gabriella. I haven't failed you in that department.**

Chapter 22

Gabriella awoke early and kissed Troy good-bye. As much as she would have loved to stay wrapped up in his arms all morning, she wanted to head home and grab her yoga gear and get to the studio. Her workout schedule had been put into back seat mode and she missed it. Plus, she knew Troy would have studies and errands to look after before work so she made it easier on the both of them by choosing to scoot early.

After her session and shower, she decided to head over to the bar slightly earlier than normal. She had brought a change of clothes with her for the evening so she wouldn't have to head home before opening. She realized she should probably keep a few outfits at the bar and made a mental note of that before stepping out of her car and heading to the back door. She was preoccupied with the thought that she could look forward to seeing Troy in a couple of hours and therefore had not noticed that there were a couple of black SUV's parked in the stalls for employees. She heard a car door slam and she was ripped from her thoughts by a deep voice that penetrated her blissful state with its harsh tone.

"Ms. Montez?" the voice plundered her ears.

She looked up to see a man in a dark suit and sunglasses who had flipped open his identification for her to see.

"Yes?" she said, with more than an ounce of hesitation.

"FBI, Ms. Montez," he stated simply.

And that's when life as she knew it changed forever.

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Gabriella blinked slowly a few times before she spoke. "What business does the FBI have with this bar? Is one of my employees in trouble?"

"Not one of your employees Ms. Montez," replied the agent.

"What is this about then? I'm sorry. Can you not fill me in? Why can't I enter the bar?" Gabriella was troubled and confused. She could not for the life of her make any sense of this.

"You need to come with us, Ms. Montez," he stated coolly.

Gabriella had noticed that there were a couple of other agents who were now out of their cars and were standing in the parking lot, as if on lookout.

"Why do I need to come with you?" she queried, her pulse quickening and voice trembling slightly.

"For your own safety we think its best if we answer any further questions elsewhere," he said, his lips moving but with no facial expression.

Gabriella looked from side to side and she began to panic. "Safety? Why would I be in any kind of danger? Can I call my father?"

"At the moment, that is not possible, Ms. Montez. You need to come with us now." That was the last answer she received before she was escorted to the back seat of one of the black SUV's. Gabriella was utterly confused and utterly petrified. She needed Troy.

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A pair of agents remained at The Oasis to meet any arriving staff and got their information in case they were needed for questioning. Troy was one of the first to arrive, not including the chef. He immediately asked about Gabriella and was told that she had already been there but had left with some other agents. He was desperate to get in touch with her as the agents were not at liberty to give him any information. Her phone was obviously turned off as it kept going to voicemail. He was wracked with worry about her.

He had no choice but to go home and wait. When he turned on the TV, his jaw dropped at the storyline that was currently monopolizing every news station in Miami. Javier Montez was in the custody of federal agents.

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Everything was slowly being explained to Gabriella but she was basically in a state of shock. On one hand, if she were to go over her life piece by piece, she could see how everything she was being told made sense; her father's constant absence, her mother's sadness, the constant secrecy and effort to keep Gabriella unaware and discouraged from asking questions. On the other hand, she still could not believe this was true. Nor did she want to believe it. Its not like it made anything easier knowing what she now knew even if it helped piece the strange puzzle that was her life together.

The burden of the news that she was being forced to accept at the moment was almost too heavy to bear: her father was a major player in an organized crime ring.

Was there anyone in her past life that she could trust? She had no idea. The only person that she knew she could believe in now was Troy but Gabriella had honestly no idea how he would react once he found out. She imagined that he would walk away and distance himself entirely from her now. Despite their declared love for each other, surely he would not want this cross to bear.

Gabriella had not felt such deep hopelessness and emptiness since her mother had died.

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At least Troy now knew why there were federal agents at The Oasis. It didn't take much for him to take the next step that Gabriella was likely in the company of the FBI as well. He was climbing the walls at home wishing he could talk to her but he had no idea how to find her and he could not reach her on her cell phone. His gut told him that she had absolutely no idea what her father had been mixed up in and he knew that she would be frightened and feeling vulnerable and alone. He prayed that she was being treated fairly. His heart was aching to hear from her.

The sound of his cell phone ringing ripped him from the couch and sent him scrambling to grab it from the kitchen table where he had left it.

"Hello," he answered, his voice riddled with concern and desperation.

"Troy?" a frail sounding Gabriella spoke on the other end. She had been given permission to call someone. He was the only person she could possibly even call. There was no one else.

"Oh my god, Gabriella, baby. Where are you? Can I see you?" Troy rambled desperately to her.

She broke down in hysterics when she heard his voice. Troy's heart crumbled into a million pieces when he heard her uncontrollable sobs. He needed to forget his worry and be strong for her.

"Gabriella, listen to me. I've seen the news. I want to come to where you are. Can I see you?" Troy pleaded with her while keeping his voice steady.

Gabriella sucked in a shaky breath. "I don't know Troy. I don't know anything anymore. I'm so scared."

"I know you're scared baby. That's why I need to know where you are so I can be with you. Can you find out if I can come?" his voice remaining insistent but calm. He tried to force the image of her heaped up against a wall clutching onto the phone as though it were her last lifeline.

Gabriella put aside her selfish desire to have him wrap his comforting arms around her and dug deep into her rational thinking to say her next words to him. "Troy, my life is a mess now. I don't understand any of it but I can't drag you into this. It feels so good to hear your voice but I can't do this to you."

"Gabriella, you're not making that decision for me. I love you with all my heart and I am already there for you in spirit. Now I want to be there for you in body. You can trust what I am saying sweetheart," he earnestly pled his case to her.

"Ok, just hang on a second," she responded, sounding defeated. In actuality, she didn't have the energy to fight him and something was telling her to not give up hope and to hang on the sincerity of his words. Troy was all she had and she really did need him right now.

Troy waited for a couple of minutes with bated breath until Gabriella came back to the receiver. Her voice sounded almost dead as she spoke the words plainly, "They're coming for you."

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Troy was taken to the room where Gabriella was being held and the minute he stepped inside and her eyes rose to meet his, she felt the first ray of comfort and hope she had all day just with his presence. Without him, she was entirely alone.

She got up and met him and weakly wrapped her arms around him. He returned her embrace with a strong hold that gave her security. His hands rubbed up and down her back and their warmth helped melt the tension that had settled there.

"Troy, I can't believe this has happened. My father, everything in my life, it's all gone," she wept.

"Baby, I am going to get you through this. And you're wrong about 'everything' being gone. You have yourself and you have me. You will always have both. I promise you." Troy spoke with such assuredness in his voice that Gabriella had no choice but to hang on to every word. She could not fathom that he was prepared to go down this road with her but, at the moment, she clung on to this promise. She knew they were not empty words.

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The days and weeks that followed, Gabriella was put through hell. Everything, including the parts of her life that were part of her independence like her penthouse and The Oasis, had been seized. They had been purchased by her father's money. Money that was illegally obtained and was therefore dirty.

Gabriella had been allowed to take her personal possessions and Troy helped her rent a storage space to keep them. He had been wonderfully supportive and loving and he was the only shred of normalcy and peace in the upheaval of her life. Troy insisted that she move in with him but she resisted his offer. She wanted her involvement in the trial to be over and for her to have time to recover afterwards before she took that step with him. It was too important for her to preserve the sacredness of their relationship rather than for her to move in with him under such awful circumstances. While she appreciated his offer from the depths of her soul and knew she would be nowhere without him in her life, she had no desire for the trial and all its complications to overtake Troy's life as well. She believed it was healthy for them to still maintain some independence. It actually helped her grow stronger again to spend time alone while knowing that she had Troy's moral and loving support. She instead rented a room at a small non-descript hotel.

Troy also used his old connections from customers at the Oasis to make sure Gabriella had good legal counsel. In the meantime, Troy found work at another bar and worked at an accelerated pace to finish his studies. Not having Gabriella in his apartment and her being busy with the trial actually helped to facilitate this. He was formulating a plan for he and Gabriella when this was all over.

The trial was long and exhaustive. Gabriella's part was minimal as the investigation that had led up to her father's arrest and being charged had shown that she was completely innocent and unaware of her father's business dealings. She had little information to offer other than just confirming certain dates and identifying people who she had been introduced to throughout her life.

Probably the most difficult issue she was forced to deal with was the circumstances of her mother's death. Gabriella learned from court testimony that her mother had committed suicide. An employee of Javier's had discovered her body and the suicide note with it. She had been unable to continue living with the knowledge that she was forced to keep secret and she knew there was no other way out. She had long realized that if she tried to leave, she would have met her death anyhow. She wanted to leave the earth on her own terms and in a way that could be quietly dealt with. The note talked about keeping everything secret from Gabriella and how Javier had to put her as far away from him and his business as he possibly could to shield her. Gabriella did not ask to be brought into this life and she could never know anything. That was the one thing Gabriella's father did to honour his wife's memory: protect Gabriella's innocence.

Gabriella detested the fact that she had to learn about something so painful and so personal in the context of a courtroom but life was not exactly dealing her a good hand right now. She had no choice but to accept what was happening. She could not avoid it. She listened carefully to the testimony of the employee and tried to soak in every detail. When she arrived home that evening to the privacy of her apartment, she let all her anguish out. She relived and mourned losing her mother all over again because now she had the truth. She cried for her mother most intensely that first night and for many nights afterwards, sometimes alone and sometimes in Troy's arms. In her own aloneness and feelings of abandonment she could identify with her mother's despair. The difference for Gabriella is that she now had Troy in her life to help her cope. Her mother had no one to confide in.

The only time Gabriella saw her father was when she was in the courtroom. She attended every day because she needed to know what had been kept from her so she could try to make some sense out of her controlled existence. Her father's eyes would plead with her for mercy but all she could return were cold, icy stares, if she even looked his direction at all. He was desperate to have contact with her but she severed her ties completely. There were no words that he could ever say that would ease the betrayal and pain. As far as she was concerned, her father was dead.

At the end of the trial, her father and countless associates, many of whom Gabriella had recognized since she was a little girl, were given maximum sentences in federal prisons. All in all, her father was convicted of money laundering, racketeering, counterfeiting currency, investment fraud, importing illegal goods (including drugs) and trafficking of human beings for the purpose of prostitution. No deaths were ever traced directly to Javier so murder was about the only charge that was not brought against him. They were all placed in protection units as they were almost sure to have as many enemies inside the prison system as outside. As well, it was known that many organized crime members were still able to run operations from within the prison system if they were given proper access to the right people. The FBI guaranteed that was never going to happen.

It was overwhelming for Gabriella to comprehend how the life that she knew, including most of t he people who were in it, was entirely false and not at all what it seemed. She could not allow herself to dwell on it for any length of time because the extent to which she could allow those circumstances to rip her finite thinking apart was limitless.

Whenever Troy suspected that her thoughts were taking her away in that direction, he brought her back to the present and to what they had with each other. He wanted her to focus on moving ahead and letting the past be the past. The past was entirely out of her control. She had not been privy to it and therefore had no fault in it. Gabriella had determined that her father would rot in prison without ever seeing her face again. She blamed him entirely for her mother's death and found it unforgivable. Somehow, she did not allow herself to become bitter but it was easier to just let her father remain in her past. She did not need him cluttering up her present and future with Troy.

She was starting fresh and Troy was faithfully by her side. When they made love, it was for comfort and to help them reconnect with each other on a deeper level when they had spent days apart. There would be time for romance later. Troy was ever patient and a rock. To Gabriella's credit, she also rediscovered her personal strength and courage. She transformed from the broken shell of the woman she once was to a reinvented resilient Gabriella whom Troy fell more deeply in love with every day. He admired the independence she had now acquired more than what she had when they first met.

Eventually the dust settled. Troy had completed his MBA in miracle time because he was an extremely motivated man and was driven by one sole purpose: his future with Gabriella. He did not know exactly how his business degree was going to be put to use. He had once thought that it was going to vault him into the world of high finance. Now that he knew _who _was going to be in life, _what_ he did with his life seemed to take on much less importance. He could now more easily see himself working with a global aid organization than he ever could picture himself riding an elevator to some top floor executive office in a multibillion dollar corporation.

Before any plans for the long term could even be considered, Troy had orchestrated something special for he and Gabriella. He knew they both needed a clean break from everything that had transpired over the last several months.

The morning after one blissful night of lovemaking, Troy awoke and knew today was the day to reveal his surprise. He rolled over on his side and gazed at the woman who lay next to him, still in peaceful slumber. She looked content and was more gorgeous to him than ever. He reached over and touched the smooth skin of her cheek and her eyelids slowly fluttered open. A smile faintly graced her lips as her eyes adjusted to the light and she saw his eyes fixed on her. "Good morning, my beautiful sleepyhead," he whispered.

"Hmmm, morning yourself handsome," she grumbled and scooted over to his side of the bed so that she could tuck her body into him. Troy let his arm fall over her shoulders and his fingers danced down the bony outcroppings of her spine.

"Hey, that tickles," she mildly complained and tried to wriggle away.

"That's the idea, princess. I need you to get up," he spoke in a gentle but more prodding tone.

"Do I have to?" she pouted.

"Yep. I'm taking you for a drive. I want to show you a project I've been working on," he said, intending to keep the details vague.

"Project? How have you had time for a project?" her voice perked up and she perched herself on her elbows, allowing the sheets to fall away from her upper body. He had gotten her interest all right but now, she had also gotten his. Seeing the naked swells of Gabriella's perfectly pert breasts now on display was just about enough to make Troy forget about his surprise and keep Gabriella in bed for the day, but he thought better of it. Today was definitely the day. He moaned and jumped out of bed to get himself away from her temptingly beautiful body.

"I'm going to grab a shower babe. Can you pick out some clothes for yourself while you wait so that we can hustle out of here as soon as you're done?" Troy called out as he headed towards the bathroom.

"Wow, someone's suddenly in a hurry," she yelled back at him.

Troy had already shut the bathroom door, turned on the shower and his electric shaver so he didn't respond. Gabriella shrugged her shoulders and pulled herself out of bed. She rummaged through the small wardrobe of clothes that she had stashed at his apartment. After picking out a simple and versatile outfit, she took to the task of making the bed. She knew it was the one job he liked to have done before leaving for the day, so she decided to get the task done, although he never would have placed the expectation on her to do it. She smiled contentedly knowing that it was the little things like that which made him happy.

All the luxury that she had grown accustomed to was nothing but a faded memory and had proven itself to be as fleeting as the next "it" handbag or flavour of the month fashion designer. She looked around Troy's simply furnished bedroom and relaxed in the knowledge that the only luxury she needed was Troy's love.

**Post chapter note: Some of you may say that if Gabriella's father was really part of an organized crime ring, her life would most likely be in danger if she was testifying at her father's trial. Yeah, I've seen Goodfellas and all those movies and I know how it works. However, it doesn't work too well for Troy and Gabriella's "happily ever after" if Gabriella has to go into the Witness Protection Program. So, just remember....its fiction!**


	23. Chapter 23

**  
So, this is it. The final chapter. Again, I apologize that this story has ended more quickly than you all anticipated. Judging from the huge drop in reviews for the last chapter, including some negative, I can see my readers didn't appreciate it. What can I say? I didn't plan on life getting in the way, but it has and I'm sorry if you all felt mislead or that the whole story was a "lie" as one review stated.**

**I truly did not want to become one of those authors who can only update once every 3 or 4 months. While I personally forward to the updates to those stories, I couldn't do that for my own story. The ending is still the same as it always was going to be, you're just getting there faster. **

Chapter 23

_**I didn't mention it last chapter, but this day is occurring about 6 weeks post-trial.**_

Troy pulled into the parking lot, quickly glancing at Gabriella to try and read her expression. She pestered him when they first got into the car as to the secret of their destination. She tried wearing him down by pressing soft kisses into his neck and even went so far as attempting to bribe him with a masterfully performed blow job if he would divulge. Troy had thrown back his head against the car headrest and sighed. Gabriella was good but he was not giving up his surprise under any circumstance.

Her head cocked sideways as her eyes skimmed over the faded, weather worn wording on the sign 'Grove Harbour Marina.' "This is interesting, Mr. Bolton. Have you got a boat ride planned for us?" Gabriella queried.

"Not exactly," he replied flatly but with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Gabriella frowned at his response. "Ok, keeping being all mysterious then," she pouted mournfully.

Troy pulled into a space and quickly hopped out of the car. His nerves were starting to get the better of him. He really had no idea how Gabriella would react. He jogged over to the passenger's side to open her door and held out his hand for her to pull herself out of the car. Her eyes locked on his as she rose to her feet and she could see the hint of anxiety in his ocean blue orbs.

He didn't let go of her hand as he led her towards the wooden docks where the boats were moored. He was pulling her along at a pace slightly faster than regular walking speed. Gabriella rolled her eyes but kept quiet, suppressing a chuckle. She could tell Troy was nervous and she didn't want to spoil his charming boyish excitement by saying something silly or sarcastic. _"God, he's so adorable, she thought."_

They passed many boats on their short journey; a few luxurious yachts, some large cabin cruisers, a few powerboats. The majority were sailboats. Troy finally came to stop in front of one beautifully finished white ketch with golden wood decks and seats. The railings and cleats were perfectly polished and glinted in the bright sunlight.

Troy rocked back and forth on his heels with a smug look on his face and looking rather proud of himself. Gabriella was completely confused as to why they were there. He had said they weren't going on a boat ride today so why were they standing in front of a boat?

"Well....what do you think?" Troy asked, with minor hesitation.

Gabriella responded carefully. "What do I think? Of the sailboat?" She looked over at him and he nodded. "What do you expect me to say, Troy? She's stunning, of course. I adore sailboats and this one is absolutely beautiful."

A huge grin took over his face. He suddenly turned to Gabriella, wrapped his arms securely around her tiny waist and whirled her around. "I'm so glad," he exclaimed, pressing a firm kiss on her cheek.

"Troy, what is this all about?" Gabriella laughed, enjoying Troy's elation but still unsure of what to make of everything.

"She's mine, babe," he whispered. "All mine."

Gabriella gasped, "Yours? When did this happen?"

"She's been mine for awhile, actually; long before we met. My dad gave her to me before he passed away. I moved her down here right away but she's been dry docked. She needed fixing up badly and I just never had the will. My dad told me that someday, I'd find a reason to," Troy spilled out breathlessly.

Gabriella's stomach was filled with butterflies. "I take it you found a reason?" she asked, her voice rising with hopefulness.

"Do you really need to ask? Come here, you," Troy replied, taking her hand again and leading her further on the dock. He pointed to the bow of the boat.

There, Gabriella saw her name in beautiful ebony script painted onto the freshly painted stark white hull. Her hand went to her mouth and tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh my god; you named her after me?"

"It seemed pretty perfect to me, baby. I'm praying that it's ok," Troy said expectantly.

"I love it, Troy. I love her...God, I love you!" she blubbered. Then she became embarrassed at her loss for more eloquent words. "I'm sorry," she laughed. "This is just unexpected and I'm a little overwhelmed."

Troy reached over and gently wiped away her tears and then took her in a warm and comforting embrace. "Your reaction is just perfect. I wouldn't want it any other way," he quietly spoke into her dark tresses and kissed the top of her head. "This isn't it for my surprise though," he continued. "I've got something to ask you."

He heard Gabriella suck in a short breath and it dawned on him what must have occurred to her. He pulled back from her and cupped her face with his warm soothing hands. "It's not what you might be thinking," he smiled.

She let out a huge breath of air. "I'm sorry, Troy. Don't take my reaction to your statement the wrong way," she consoled him.

Troy chuckled. "Stop apologizing you beautiful creature and listen to me without jumping to conclusions, ok?" He paused for a moment, softening his tone. "Although, I can see how you naturally might have gone there given the way I lead into it," he said, while running his thumb along her jaw line.

Gabriella's breathing started to slow back to normal and she leaned into his caresses. "Ok, carry on. I'm ready," she stated.

Now it was Troy's turn to draw in a deep breath. "I want us to get away for awhile, Gabriella. Not for a few days or even a few weeks but for a few months. I was thinking around 6 months but no real definite time frame."

"Get away?" she said, her voice hitching with anticipation. She liked how this was sounding already and he had barely revealed anything.

"Come here," he said while stepping onto the boat and holding out his hand to help her on. They walked up to the bow and sat on the edge with their legs dangling over the side, fingers interlaced. Gabriella leaned her head onto Troy's shoulder.

"I take it you have a plan?" Gabriella inquired.

"I do. What would you say to a little island hopping around the Caribbean? I've kind of mapped it out and I think it will be amazing," Troy said, Gabriella sensing the excitement and determination in his tone.

"Before I respond, what's brought this on, Troy? This is obviously not something you just cooked up yesterday." Gabriella asked. Inside, she was doing back flips over the idea but she wanted to hear his rationale since he had obviously put a lot of thought into this. It was a huge proposition.

His fingers stroked lovingly up and down her back, on either side of her spine where she liked it the most. "It's so multilayered why I want us to do this and I'm afraid my explanation is going to oversimplify things, but I'll try the best I can."

"Go on," coaxed Gabriella.

Troy continued his gentle grazing of her back as he spoke, "First up, what you've endured and pulled through over the last couple of months has been beyond comprehension sweetheart. I'm so proud of you, you have no idea. But, I see you with that distant look in your eyes sometimes and I know you're having a hard time breaking from your past. I don't blame you at all, but I hate to see you like that. Secondly, since you so wisely insisted that you not move in with me, it gave me lots of time alone. Time to work on this boat and time to think about you and about us. I can't get over my fortune that fate brought us together when it did. We were given just the right amount of time to get to this place in our relationship before what happened with your father blew up. I don't take it for granted that we met when we did. So, for those two reasons, for your sake as an individual and for ours as a couple, I want us to do something that will give us a clean break from everything that's happened. It's not like starting over or anything because we're perfect the way we are. I'm sure we could just try and carry on our lives as before but I feel like getting away from everything that's familiar would be so healthy for us. Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah, it does Troy. Now that you say it, it does," Gabriella agreed. "Ever since the trial ended, I had this huge feeling of relief but there's also been this nagging in the pit of my stomach. I think I can identify it now that you are saying all of this. What happened with my dad has caused me to completely re-evaluate my life. Everything in Miami, except for you, is a reminder of the life I was living under my father's umbrella. My surroundings are holding me back from completely healing. I thought I would be able to just pick up with you and go on, but it's just too hard." She looked out at the marina over all the boats.

Troy turned to look at Gabriella and gave her a little nudge. "So, does this mean your answer is...."

"Yes; my answer is yes. The whole thing just sounds incredible. When can we go?" Gabriella asked her anticipation mounting.

Troy was ecstatic. He was pretty sure Gabriella would agree but one can never fully guarantee anything. "I've got a few details to wrap up but I think we can leave within the week."

Gabriella felt serene. "Sounds perfect," she said. Then, an idea pricked her brain and she smirked in spite of herself. "Actually, Troy. I think you've missed a major detail about this entire idea of yours."

Troy felt his heart drop a little. What could he have missed? "Uh, what's that?"

"Has this boat had a christening ceremony? Don't you need to have one of those before you take her out to sea or whatever?" Gabriella asked, remaining totally serious.

Troy looked a little suspicious. "Well, sure. We could have one of those if you think we need to. I can pick up a bottle of champagne and we can do it right," he said, shrugging his shoulders. If she was in for the formality of all that, he wouldn't deny her.

Gabriella stood up from where they were seated and looked down at him. "Nuh, uh. Not that kind of christening," she said sexily and beckoned him with her finger.

Troy licked his lips and pulled himself up. He loved how his girlfriend's mind worked. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close so he could nuzzle into her neck. "You've got a point there, sweetheart. I think we should make sure the bed is seaworthy," he mumbled against her skin. The hotness of his breath and the vibration of his voice against her neck made Gabriella moan.

Troy drank in the scent of Gabriella's hair and skin as he ran the tip of his nose over her flesh. He was already beginning to harden. His tongue slipped out and grazed over her earlobe causing a surge of heat and wetness to rush to Gabriella's core. "God, Troy," she gasped. "We'd better take this below deck now because if you keep me up here much longer, you might just lose your membership at this little yacht club for public indecency."

"I love it when you get indecent with me, baby," he said, his voice rasping and coarse. Troy reluctantly let Gabriella out of his embrace and grasped her wrist tightly, tugging her in the right direction.

Gabriella followed behind and her eyes trailed over his muscular back, incredibly adorable ass and down his legs, her lust for his body increasing by the second.

Once they were under the protective cover of the cabin all inhibitions were lost. Troy's head swooped down and he closed his mouth over Gabriella's luscious lips. His hands slipped up under her tank until he reached the under cleavage of her breasts. He loved how the gentle curve of them would rest perfectly into his palm. He pushed up the fabric and brought his head down so that he could place small kisses all over the mounds of her perfect breasts. At last he couldn't keep himself away and his lips found the pebbled texture of her nipples. His tongue brought them to life, hardening them into peaks which caused Gabriella to arch into him furiously.

Gabriella's fingers were plunging through Troy's hair as his lips and tongue worked over her breasts. "Shit, Troy" she moaned as tingles of pleasure washed through her. Her hands flew to his t-shirt and tugged upwardly at the hem. He managed to pull his mouth away from her supple mounds and allowed her to remove his shirt, assisting her by lifting his arms. Gabriella's body flushed with heat as she was met with his bare, taut and sculpted torso. She shook her head and smirked at the effect he had on her. "You're still overdressed," she voiced huskily. Not breaking eye contact with her, his own fingers reached down and unsnapped the button and pulled down the zipper of his shorts. Those sounds elicited another rush of wetness to Gabriella's core. "Let me," she said. Her nimble fingers pulled off the last articles of clothing that were hiding Troy's perfect nakedness from her. She lustily swept her eyes over his solid form and she became hungry to taste him.

She knelt before him and took his length in her hand. He was smooth and hard like a shaft of marble and Troy let out a strangled moan as she closed her fingers around him. Gabriella experimented with the power of her touch. She stroked the sensitive head with the end of her finger, the pad of her thumb, a lock of her hair and finally with the tip of her tongue. His cry was hoarse and deep. She allowed her tongue to swirl around the tip for a little longer and she tasted the sweetness of the pre cum that had collected. It was intoxicating to her. Troy's breathing was coming in soft, sudden gasps. "Jesus, Gabriella. I'm loving this but I want to be inside you," he rasped.

She withdrew her lips and stood up. Troy lunged forward and finished the work of removing her clothes. Her took her in his arms again and felt the heat of her curves press into him. Feeling Troy's erection against her stomach, she reached behind him in an attempt to pull him more tightly against her. She craved a more intense connection but she wasn't getting it. "Bed...Troy...now," she hissed. She needed to feel the weight of his body on hers. But, he wasn't going to give it to her that quickly.

She let her slim figure fall back onto the mattress and looked up at him longingly. Troy knelt down on the bed and grasped her ankle, shackling it. He lifted her leg in the air and held it up with one hand while the fingers of his other hand lightly ghosted over her calf and up the back of her thigh. He repeated this a few times until he eventually allowed her leg to gently fall back to the mattress. He caged her body with his and dropped his mouth to her stomach trailing kisses all over the velvety flesh, igniting fires in all the right places inside her. Meanwhile, he reached down and drew up her knees with his hands and gently pushed them apart.

His fingers moved to her folds and began to probe. His head moved down and he blew hot breath over her. His tongue began to work on her clit and it swelled as the nerves tingled with pleasure. "Oh god, oh god," Gabriella moaned. She squirmed beneath him and the noises she was making let him know that Troy was on the right track. His hands slid up her ribcage and he gently kneaded her breasts and ran his thumbs over her tightened nipples. Gabriella's sighs became pants, which then became cries and Troy buried his tongue inside her until he felt the quivering turn to clenching spasms. Gabriella dug her fingernails into Troy's shoulders and clamped her knees against him, locking him there while she reached a powerful orgasm that seemed to hold onto her forever. He didn't move until it finally set her free and she collapsed beneath him.

He pulled away from her and kissed his way up her body which was dewy with sweat. Gabriella's chest was heaving. "That was out of this fucking world," she sang between breaths. Troy smiled that he could satisfy her like that and he kissed her passionately.

Gabriella felt the strong outline of him against her thigh and her hand found its way to his hardness. The tip of Troy's cock was dripping with his own moisture and she drew him to her wetness as he shifted his body so that he could settle between her legs. She moved the tip of him over her slick folds and to her opening, teasing him with her warmth. "Uh, fuck baby," he murmured. His arms were braced on either side of her head. She had let go of him and he was continuing to stroke his penis over her flower petals that were pricked with desire. The knot of nerves that made up her clitoris was swelling with tension again as he continued his movements. He was so ready to dive into her depths but he tried to hold back as long as possible. He wanted to bring her to the brink before he plunged in. The sweet sounds coming from deep in her throat told him that she was coming close again and it seared the edges of his soul. He felt so completely connected to her; not just sexually but spiritually. The intimacy they shared was so complete and he got as much pleasure out of watching her shatter beneath him as he got from his own orgasms. Troy was so glad that he had waited for his first love so that it could be her.

Finally he was bereft of control and he pushed himself deep within her in one swift hard stroke. Troy let out a gasp of relief and Gabriella cried out his name. She wrapped her supple strong legs around him to pull him in deeper. She moved her hips up into him as if to signal him to start thrusting. "Give me a second," he whispered. "I'm having a moment here."

"Troy, I love you so much," she quietly called out to him in her beautiful voice, almost pleading with him to make love to her. It was making her crazy to feel his hardness in her but to have him be still. She ached to feel his thickness moving against her walls and for her to know that she could pull his orgasm from him as he shuddered over her. Troy buried his head in her neck and tangled his fingers in her hair and began moving gently inside her. She loved feeling the muscles in his legs and behind contract and relax as he would rock into her. He lifted his hips and stroked deep and long inside her. His eyes were drifting between open and shut as he relished in the pleasurable sensations. Eventually, he began to feel the insatiable need for release building within him and his movements quickened and became harder and faster. He shifted his position a little which cause him to hit Gabriella's magic spot. She threw her head back and chanted out, "Oh god, oh god."

"There you go baby," he whispered hoarsely and breathlessly. "That's what I'm talking about. Cum with me, Gabriella."

Their movements and pace were matched and Gabriella clung to Troy's shoulders. Their passionate murmurs intensified and her pelvis lifted against him so that her clitoris rubbed against his pubic bone while her heels dug into the bed for traction. The storm that was raging in her core was about to take her on another frenzied ride. She felt her orgasm coming on like a freight train and her walls closed around him with a heat so intense and power so strong.

Troy vocalizations let Gabriella know exactly where he was at, "Fuck...oh my god, holy fuck, I'm cumming. God, it's good baby." His climax tore through him and held him in its grip for a long wondrous moment with a pleasure so blinding and spasms so fierce, he literally felt like he might lose his mind, it was that good. He'd never felt anything quite like it.

"Oh my god, Troy!" Gabriella cried in passion as her orgasm completely washed over her. The sound of his name on her lips made his experience even more incredible. They had fallen off the end of the world together. The connection they shared was intense.

As their ragged breathing slowed, their moistened foreheads met as they locked each other in a hypnotizing gaze. "That was..." Troy whispered throatily, "colossal."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several days later, they were bringing the last of their supply of groceries and small simple wardrobe of clothes to the boat. Gabriella had tried her hand at meal planning and shopped for pantry staples and a few days worth of fresh fruit and vegetables. They would replenish at their first island stop. There were also a few well chosen novels, journal writing materials, a couple of decks of cards and Troy's charts and maps in a box of supplies. They had totally pared down to what was completely essential. It wasn't that hard for either of them as the main focus was to be with each other and the journey they would be making as a couple. They were so in love but there was much to learn about the other person.

Troy had worked out with a friend who would be staying at his apartment in their absence and dealing with any urgent matters, if there were any. They put both their cars into storage. Troy had finished all his coursework for his MBA and he didn't care if he was around to receive his final grades personally. He had a pretty good idea that he had maintained his A average to the end. It was a perfect time for him to break away like this.

The only question Gabriella had for Troy was if they were going to manage financially for the next 6 months. Troy told her that she didn't need to worry because he had done his calculations and there was "enough" to keep them fed, clothed, sheltered and also money for fuel. She didn't pursue things beyond that.

They rode the taxi in silence all the way to the marina but Gabriella's hand was tightly clasped with Troy's the entire trip. Although the excitement she felt was nearly causing her to burst at the seams, she had never felt such peace.

When they arrived, they unpacked the trunk and made the few trips to bring everything on board. They had been pretty methodical and careful with their planning over the past couple of days, so in very short time, they were ready to untie the ropes and get underway. There was virtually no wind, so they were going to be using the motor for at least 24 hours. In some respects this was an easy way for them to get started rather than dealing with big wind right off the get go.

Gabriella settled back into Troy's chest once he had navigated them out of the harbour. They were headed for the Keys and had a few hours to enjoy the calm weather. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other wrapped around her slender waist. He could feel her slow and steady breathing.

"Gabriella?" he purred in her ear. "You awake?"

She chuckled. "Of course I'm awake," she hummed. "I'm just relaxed is all."

"Good, because there's something I want to get off my chest," Troy started and then winced. That wasn't a good start and he regretted his choice of words.

Gabriella stiffened slightly and sat up. "Ok, you've successfully got my attention," she responded hesitantly.

Troy took a couple of deep breaths. "You're going to think this sounds silly, but I need to say it anyhow."

"Go ahead. You've got me trapped on a boat so now's as good a time as any to spill the beans," she said, only slightly cross. "Not really anywhere I can go, is there?" Gabriella wasn't seriously worried because they wouldn't be where they were if everything wasn't right with them but Troy's conversation opener left a little to be desired, in her opinion.

"Thanks for making me more nervous, babe," he gulped.

"I'm sorry, Troy. It's just that your timing is a little nutty for you to be getting something off your chest, don't you think?" she laughed light-heartedly.

"Ok. You're right. I had a lousy lead-in to that," he sighed. "How about if I start over?"

Gabriella smiled and rubbed her hand up and down Troy's thigh. "Good decision."

"So, here it is Gabriella. I'm afraid I set myself up to live up to an expectation. An expectation that I can't meet and probably never will be able to," Troy began.

Gabriella turned and looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. "What expectation could you possibly be talking about?"

Troy jumped right in to his point. "I'm no Mr. Darcy, Gabriella. I don't have a secret fortune stashed away somewhere that will be waiting for us when we get back. I'm not taking you away to some private Caribbean villa as a surprise. Yeah, I've got enough money tucked away for us to live for the next 6 months. Hell, we could probably even pull off a year like this. But, that's about it." Troy had his eyes set on the ocean in front of him.

Through Troy's entire "confession" Gabriella felt her heart welling with love and she could not suppress the smile that burgeoned across your face. "Why on earth would you think I was expecting you to live up to some fictional character?" she asked. She felt horrible or him that he was actually worried about this. "Is it because Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book?" She paused and thought a little. "You mean that silly conversation we had one time at my penthouse?" She quietly giggled when she remembered it. Then her smile dropped a little. "Or is it because I grew up with immense wealth and you think I can't live any other way?"

"Some of both, I suppose. It's not that I take you for a sugar baby or anything but it's got to be hard to have your life change so drastically. You get used to certain things." he said sincerely. He briefly scanned her face for her reaction. Then she gave it to him.

She punched her fist into his chest. "Troy, you are fucking lucky that I'm too scared to operate this boat on my own and that I can't read navigation maps, or else I'd throw you over the side right now!" Gabriella scolded harshly but with an undertone of teasing. Her eyes flashed with amusement.

Troy could hear it in her voice and relief washed over him. He should have known better than to think otherwise. "So, you're not disappointed?" He looked like he needed a hug.

Her demeanour softened immediately. "Honey, we went over this just a few days ago when I asked you about how we could pull this trip off. Your answer then was sufficient for me. Nothing's changed. Troy, I won the lottery when I met you. I didn't know it at first but I figured it out pretty soon afterwards," Gabriella said gently and comfortingly. She leaned in and kissed him passionately. "I love you so much; you get that don't you?" She placed her hand on his heart. "My fortune is here."

The tension evaporated from Troy. Troy wrapped his arms around her and drank in the scent of her. "You know, I've never been one to have a 'best friend' but that's all changed now. I've got my best friend, my lover and the woman I want to be with forever cooped up on this boat with me for the next 6 months, and I can't imagine any place I'd rather be."

Gabriella nuzzled into Troy's embrace. "Forever sounds about right," she whispered.


End file.
